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accuse

[uh-kyooz]
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verb (used with object), ac·cused, ac·cus·ing.
  1. to charge with the fault, offense, or crime (usually followed by of): He accused him of murder.
  2. to find fault with; blame.
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verb (used without object), ac·cused, ac·cus·ing.
  1. to make an accusation.
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Origin of accuse

1250–1300; Middle English ac(c)usen < Old French acuser < Latin accūsāre to call to account (ac- ac- + -cūs-, combining form of caus-; see cause)
Related formsac·cus·a·ble, adjectiveac·cus·a·bly, adverbac·cus·ant, nounac·cus·ing·ly, adverbin·ter·ac·cuse, verb (used with object), in·ter·ac·cused, in·ter·ac·cus·ing.non·ac·cus·ing, adjectivepre·ac·cuse, verb (used with object), pre·ac·cused, pre·ac·cus·ing.re·ac·cuse, verb (used with object), re·ac·cused, re·ac·cus·ing.self-ac·cus·ing, adjectiveun·ac·cus·a·ble, adjectiveun·ac·cus·ing, adjectiveun·ac·cus·ing·ly, adverb
Can be confusedaccuse allege charge

Synonyms

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1. arraign, indict; incriminate, impeach.

Antonyms

1, 2. exonerate.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

prosecutesuenamebrandsummondenounceciteblamearrestchargeindictattackarraignimplicateallegecomplainlitigateapprehendattributeframe

Examples from the Web for accusing

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • I have been accused of taking it, but have denied it, accusing no one.

    Thoroughbreds

    W. A. Fraser

  • The accusing revelation that had come from Crane in the afternoon had been a crushing blow.

    Thoroughbreds

    W. A. Fraser

  • This was clearly an accident, and no one thought of accusing me of any connection with it.

    Ned Myers

    James Fenimore Cooper

  • Adams very innocently answered, "Sir, I am far from accusing you."

    Joseph Andrews Vol. 1

    Henry Fielding

  • He blamed himself so much, that, instead of accusing, I began to comfort him.

British Dictionary definitions for accusing

accuse

verb
  1. to charge (a person or persons) with some fault, offence, crime, etc; impute guilt or blame
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Derived Formsaccuser, nounaccusing, adjectiveaccusingly, adverb

Word Origin

C13: via Old French from Latin accūsāre to call to account, from ad- to + causa lawsuit
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 accusing

accuse

v.

c.1300, "charge (with an offense, etc.), impugn, blame," from Old French acuser "to accuse, indict, reproach, blame" (13c.), earlier "announce, report, disclose" (12c.), or directly from Latin accusare "to call to account," from ad- "against" (see ad-) + causari "give as a cause or motive," from causa "reason" (see cause (n.)). Related: Accused; accusing; accusingly.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper