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accessory

   Also found in: Medical, Legal, Acronyms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.01 sec.
ac·ces·so·ry  (k-ss-r)
n. pl. ac·ces·so·ries
1.
a. A subordinate or supplementary item; an adjunct.
b. Something nonessential but desirable that contributes to an effect or result. See Synonyms at appendage.
2. Law
a. One who incites, aids, or abets a lawbreaker in the commission of a crime but is not present at the time of the crime. Also called accessory before the fact.
b. One who aids a criminal after the commission of a crime, but was not present at the time of the crime. Also called accessory after the fact.
adj.
1. Having a secondary, supplementary, or subordinate function.
2. Law Serving to aid or abet a lawbreaker, either before or after the commission of the crime, without being present at the time the crime was committed.

[Middle English accessorie, from Medieval Latin accessrius, from accessor, helper, from Latin accessus, approach; see access.]

acces·sori·al (-s-sôr-l, -sr-) adj.
ac·cesso·ri·ly adv.
ac·cesso·ri·ness n.
Usage Note: Although the pronunciation (-ss-r), with no (k) sound in the first syllable, is commonly heard, it is not accepted by a majority of the Usage Panel. In a recent survey, 87 percent of the Panelists disapproved of it. The 13 percent that accepted the pronunciation were divided on usage: more than half accepted the (k)-less pronunciation for all senses. A few approved of it only in fashion contexts, and a few others approved of it only in legal contexts.

accessory
Noun
pl -ries
1. a supplementary part or object
2. a small item, such as a bag or belt, worn or carried by someone to complete his or her outfit
3. a person who is involved in a crime but who was not present when it took place [Late Latin accessorius]
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.accessoryaccessory - clothing that is worn or carried, but not part of your main clothing
belt - a band to tie or buckle around the body (usually at the waist)
article of clothing, clothing, habiliment, wearable, vesture, wear - a covering designed to be worn on a person's body
furnishing, trappings - (usually plural) accessory wearing apparel
2.accessory - a supplementary component that improves capability
auto accessory - an accessory for an automobile
constituent, element, component - an artifact that is one of the individual parts of which a composite entity is made up; especially a part that can be separated from or attached to a system; "spare components for cars"; "a component or constituent element of a system"
computer accessory - an accessory for a computer; "when you add in all the computer accessories you are going to need the computer gets pretty expensive"
fitting - a small and often standardized accessory to a larger system
trimmings, fixings - the accessories that normally accompany (something or some activity); "an elaborate formal dinner with all the fixings"; "he bought a Christmas tree and trimmings to decorate it"
3.accessoryaccessory - someone who helps another person commit a crime
abetter, abettor - one who helps or encourages or incites another
accessory after the fact - a person who gives assistance or comfort to someone known to be a felon or known to be sought in connection with the commission of a felony
accessory before the fact - a person who procures or advises or commands the commission of a felony but who is not present at its perpetration
accessory during the fact - a person who witnesses a crime but does not try to prevent it
collaborator, henchman, partner in crime, confederate - someone who assists in a plot
criminal, crook, felon, malefactor, outlaw - someone who has committed a crime or has been legally convicted of a crime
Adj.1.accessory - aiding and abetting in a crime; "he was charged with being accessory to the crime"
supportive - furnishing support or assistance; "a supportive family network"; "his family was supportive of his attempts to be a writer"
2.accessory - furnishing added support; "an ancillary pump"; "an adjuvant discipline to forms of mysticism"; "The mind and emotions are auxiliary to each other"
supportive - furnishing support or assistance; "a supportive family network"; "his family was supportive of his attempts to be a writer"

accessory
Translations
Spanish accessory [ækˈsɛsərɪ] naccesorio;
toilet accessories → artículos mpl de tocador

French accessory [ækˈsɛsərɪ] naccessoire m;
toilet accessories (Brit) → articles mpl de toilette;
accessory to (Law) → accessoire à

German accessory [ækˈsɛsərɪ] nZubehörteil nt;
(Dress) → Accessoire nt;
(Law);
accessory to → Mitschuldige(r) f(m) an +dat;
accessories nplZubehör nt;
toilet accessories (Brit) → Toilettenartikel pl

Italian accessory [ækˈsɛsərɪ] naccessorio;
toilet accessories npl (BRIT) → articoli mpl da toilette

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Accessory, perhaps, to the impulse dictating the thing he was now about to do, were certain prudential motives, whose object might have been to revive the spirits of his crew by a stroke of his subtile skill, in a matter so wondrous as that of the inverted compasses.
In short, so operative were the terrors that surrounded them, that of twenty-four young men, who deserted from a transport, twenty-two were glad to return of themselves, the others being shot by sentinels; and one of their friends, who was supposed to have been accessory to their escape, was carried on shore to behold the destruction of his house and effects, which were burned in his presence, as a punishment for his temerity and perfidious aid to his comrades.
Or is there a pleasure in being accessory to a theft when we cannot commit it ourselves?
 
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