Literally, a befalling; an event that takes place without one's foresight or expectation; an undesigned, sudden, and unexpected event; chance; contingency; often, an undesigned and unforeseen occurrence of an afflictive or unfortunate character; a casualty; a mishap; as, to die by an accident. Of moving accidents by flood and field. Shak. Thou cam'st not to thy place by accident: It is the very place God meant for thee. Trench.
A property attached to a word, but not essential to it, as gender, number, case.
A point or mark which may be retained or omitted in a coat of arms.
A property or quality of a thing which is not essential to it, as whiteness in paper; an attribute.
A quality or attribute in distinction from the substance, as sweetness, softness.
Any accidental property, fact, or relation; an accidental or nonessential; as, beauty is an accident. This accident, as I call it, of Athens being situated some miles from the sea. J. P. Mahaffy.
Unusual appearance or effect. [Obs.] Chaucer.
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