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Evil or corrupt usage; abuse; wrong; reproach; deception; cheat. Chaucer.

Wrongly used; perverted; misapplied. I am . . . necessitated to use the word Parliament improperly, according to the abusive acceptation thereof. Fuller.

An ornament resembling the foliage or leaves of the acanthus (Acanthus spinosus); -- used in the capitals of the Corinthian and Composite orders.

group of Arachnida which includes the mites and ticks. Many species are parasitic, and cause diseases like the itch and mange.

Of or caused by acari or mites; as, acarine diseases.

To cause to move faster; to quicken the motion of; to add to the speed of; -- opposed to retard.

A mark or character used in writing, and serving to regulate the pronunciation; esp.: (a) a mark to indicate the nature and place of the spoken accent; (b) a mark to indicate the quality of sound of the vowel marked; as, the French accents.

receive or admit and agree to; to assent to; as, I accept your proposal, amendment, or excuse.

ing in which a word or expression is understood, or generally received; as, term is to be used according to its usual acceptation. My words, in common acceptation, Could never give this provocation. Gay.

g added; addition; as, an access of territory. [In this sense accession is more generally used.] I, from the influence of thy looks, receive Access in every virtue. Milton.

o both their deaths thou shalt be accessary. Shak. Amongst many secondary and accessary causes that support monarchy, these are not of least reckoning. Milton.

act of coming to or reaching a throne, an office, or dignity; as, the accession of the house of Stuart; -- applied especially to the epoch of a new dynasty.

A short grace note, one semitone below the note to which it is prefixed; -- used especially in organ music. Now used as equivalent to the short appoggiatura.

To shout applause.

A shout of approbation, favor, or assent; eager expression of approval; loud applause. On such a day, a holiday having been voted by acclamation, an ordinary walk would not satisfy the children. Southey.

A ceremony formerly used in conferring knighthood, consisting am embrace, and a slight blow on the shoulders with the flat blade of a sword.

Accommodation ladder (Naut.), a light ladder hung over the side of a ship at the gangway, useful in ascending from, or descending to, small boats.

A statement in general of reasons, causes, grounds, etc., explanatory of some event; as, no satisfactory account has been given of these phenomena. Hence, the word is often used simply for reason, ground, consideration, motive, etc.; as, on no account, on every account, on all accounts.

To accuse of a crime. [Obs.] -- Ac*crim`i*na"tion, n. [Obs.]

inder or tank for storing water for hydraulic elevators, the secondary or storage battery used for accumulating the energy of electrical charges, etc.