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accost

ac·cost [ ə-ˈkȯst]

accost

verb

[ə-ˈkȯst]

accosted; accosting; accosts

Definition of accost

transitive verb

: to approach and speak to (someone) in an often challenging or aggressive way
//He was accosted by a stranger on the street.

Recent Examples on the Web

//The Sheriff’s Department is working to determine whether the four attacks, in which three young girls and a woman have been accosted in the same area, are related.
— Los Angeles Times, "After 4 people grabbed near Aliso Viejo trail, police arrest man on suspicion of child molestation," 26 Sep. 2019
//When Chotkevys arrived, the city attorney wrote, Bartlett was helping him look for Brough when Brough allegedly accosted her.
— Christine Mai-duc, latimes.com, "Orange County assemblyman accused of misconduct by four women," 26 June 2019
//On his way back to Village Hall for a planning-commission meeting, Warren was accosted by four noisy women at a table outside Sant Ambroeus.
— Bob Morris, The New Yorker, "How Old Are You, Mr. Mayor?," 19 Aug. 2019
//The poor child who picked Scotland out was then accosted by the presiding FIFA officials and ordered to return the ball the cages, no doubt triggering an acute phobia of miniature footballs for the rest of his life.
— SI.com, "Morrisons, Donald Trump & a Boozy Rod Stewart: 8 of the Strangest Cup Draws of All Time," 21 June 2019
//The mob scenes have followed California Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters’ call earlier this year for critics to accost Republicans in public places.
— Fox News, "Ted Cruz latest Republican accosted after Maxine Waters' call for confrontation," 26 Sep. 2018
//Police say Rodriguez had just exited a back door to accompany the waiter to his car when they were accosted and knocked to the ground.
— Marc Freeman, sun-sentinel.com, "Slaying of Boca restaurant manager shocked community in 2013. Trials for three men finally near.," 12 Sep. 2019
//Each has been charged with either assault and battery on a police officer or assault, accosting, affray, or carrying a dangerous weapon.
— Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, "Straight Pride Parade fallout: Boston DA wins fight over counter protester arrests," 9 Sep. 2019
//During the months those episodes aired, the couple were accosted by locals with strong opinions.
— New York Times, "‘This Old House’ Turns 40," 5 July 2019

First Known Use of accost

1567, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for accost

borrowed from Middle French accoster, going back to Old French, "to go alongside of, sail along the coast of, place (a vessel) beside another" (sʼacoster a "to take a place beside, draw near, support"), probably going back to Vulgar Latin *accostāre, from Latin ad- ad- + costa "rib, side" — more at coast entry 1

Note: A common, polysemous verb in Anglo-French, though the English verb, which only begins to appear in the late 16th century, is apparently borrowed directly from Continental French. The sense "to approach and speak to" only appears in French in the early 17th century, about the same time that it appears in English.

Dictionary Entries near accost

More Synonyms and Antonyms ofaccost