accosted
[uh-kaw-stid, uh-kos-tid]
- (of animals) represented as side by side: two dolphins accosted.
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Origin of accosted
accost
[uh-kawst, uh-kost]
- to confront boldly: The beggar accosted me for money.
- to approach, especially with a greeting, question, or remark.
- (of prostitutes, procurers, etc.) to solicit for sexual purposes.
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- a greeting.
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Origin of accost
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words
confrontannoybuttonholebotherwelcomecrosshailfacedareflagpropositioncallgreetenticeaddressbracechallengesaluteExamples from the Web for accosted
Contemporary Examples
Days later, supermodel Kate Moss accosted Bieber at another party in Ibiza, giving him a dressing down over his behavior.
The young lawyer was returning to her townhouse near Regents Park with her boyfriend when she was accosted soon after dark.
The doctors were accosted by local settlers, and the Arab doctors and their families were subjected to racial harassment.
What if he wanted a snack on the way home and accosted a woman on some pretext?
They sneaked into the garage claiming it was public property and accosted her.
Historical Examples
I accosted him, when, to my chagrin and disappointment, he was a white man.
Biography of a SlaveCharles Thompson
Just then a French tourist came up and accosted us, smiling ruefully.
The Roof of FranceMatilda Betham-Edwards
As they moved toward the Secretary's office, Porter was accosted by his trainer.
ThoroughbredsW. A. Fraser
As the boy came through the little gate Mortimer accosted him.
ThoroughbredsW. A. Fraser
As Maltravers thus soliloquized, he was accosted by Mr. Cleveland.
Alice, or The Mysteries, CompleteEdward Bulwer-Lytton
accost
- (tr) to approach, stop, and speak to (a person), as to ask a question, accuse of a crime, solicit sexually, etc
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- rare a greeting
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Word Origin
C16: from Late Latin accostāre to place side by side, from Latin costa side, rib
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for accosted
accost
v.
1570s, from Middle French accoster "move up to," from Italian accostare or directly from Late Latin accostare "come up to the side," from Latin ad- "to" (see ad-) + costa "rib, side" (see coast (n.)). The original notion is of fleets of warships attacking an enemy's coast. Related: Accosted; accosting.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper