accuse

[uh-kyooz]

verb (used with object), ac·cused, ac·cus·ing.

to charge with the fault, offense, or crime (usually followed by of): He accused him of murder.

to find fault with; blame.

verb (used without object), ac·cused, ac·cus·ing.

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 for accuse

1. arraign, indict; incriminate, impeach.

Antonyms for accuse

1, 2. exonerate.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for accusingly

Historical Examples of accusingly

Mary came out of her office and stopped before Trudy accusingly.
The Gorgeous Girl
Nalbro Bartley
Brother,” the parson answered, accusingly, “it is in the Bible; it must be true.
The Cruise of the Shining Light
Norman Duncan
You might be in better business than accusingly a poor boy falsely.
The Cash Boy
Horatio Alger Jr.
"And you said they were so hard-boiled," Doris said accusingly to Sam, nodding at the twins.
Masters of Space
Edward Elmer Smith
His unsmiling eyes are looking somberly, sternly, accusingly into hers.
Wayside Courtships
Hamlin Garland

British Dictionary definitions for accusingly

accuse

verb

to charge (a person or persons) with some fault, offence, crime, etc; impute guilt or blame

Derived Formsaccuser, nounaccusing, adjectiveaccusingly, adverb

Word Origin for accuse

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 accusingly

accuse

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.