accuse

[ uh-kyooz ]

/ əˈkyuz /

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.

to make an accusation.

Nearby words

accusation, accusatival, accusative, accusatorial, accusatory, accuse, accused, accuser, accusing, accustom, accustomed

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)

SYNONYMS FOR accuse

1 arraign, indict; incriminate, impeach.

ANTONYMS FOR accuse

1, 2 exonerate.

Related forms

ac·cus·a·ble, adjectiveac·cus·a·bly, adverbac·cus·ant, nounac·cus·ing·ly, adverb

in·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

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

Examples from the Web for accusingly

“You managed to upset,” said Lora Moore, accusingly, and pretty Posy changed the subject.
The Deep Lake Mystery|Carolyn Wells
"I bet I know what this is leading up to," cried Bobby, accusingly.
The Honorable Percival|Alice Hegan Rice
After Rosemary had gone to the door with him and come back Ellen rose and looked at her accusingly.
Rainbow Valley|Lucy Maud Montgomery
"The God of the individualist," he said at length—musingly, not accusingly.
The Inside of the Cup, Complete|Winston Churchill

"Pedro, you're one of Beasley's old hands," said Las Vegas, accusingly.
The Man of the Forest|Zane Grey

British Dictionary definitions for accusingly

accuse

/ (əˈkjuːz) /

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.