Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary

3 VERB If you accept a plan or an intended action, you agree to it and allow it to happen. □ [V n] The Council will meet to decide if it should accept his resignation.

4 VERB If you accept an unpleasant fact or situation, you get used to it or recognize that it is necessary or cannot be changed. □ [V n] People will accept suffering that can be shown to lead to a greater good. □ [V n + as ] Urban dwellers often accept noise as part of city life. □ [V that] I wasn't willing to accept that her leaving was a possibility.

5 VERB If a person, company, or organization accepts something such as a document, they recognize that it is genuine, correct, or satisfactory and agree to consider it or handle it. □ [V n] We advised newspapers not to accept the advertising. □ [be V -ed] Cheques can only be accepted up to the value guaranteed on the card. [Also V n as n/adj]

6 VERB If an organization or person accepts you, you are allowed to join the organization or use the services that are offered. □ [be V -ed] All-male groups will not be accepted. □ [V n + as ] …incentives to private landlords to accept young people as tenants. [Also V n into n]

7 VERB If a person or a group of people accepts you, they begin to be friendly towards you and are happy with who you are or what you do. □ [V n] My grandparents have never had a problem accepting me. □ [V n + as ] Many men still have difficulty accepting a woman as a business partner. □ [be V -ed + into ] Stephen Smith was accepted into the family like an adopted brother.

8 VERB If you accept the responsibility or blame for something, you recognize that you are responsible for it. □ [V n] The company cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage.

9 VERB If you accept someone's advice or suggestion, you agree to do what they say. □ [V n] The army refused to accept orders from the political leadership.

10 VERB If a machine accepts a particular kind of thing, it is designed to take it and deal with it or process it. □ [V n] The telephone booths accept 10 and 20 pence coins.

11 → see also accepted SYNONYMS accept VERB

1

take:When I took the job, I thought I could change the system.

take on:Don't take on more responsibilities than you can handle.

undertake:She undertook the very difficult task of monitoring the elections.

2

acknowledge:Belatedly, the government has acknowledged the problem.

admit:I am willing to admit that I do make mistakes.

allow:Warren allows that the policy may sometimes result in increased social inequality.

4

take:Harry's rudeness to everyone was becoming hard to take.

stand:Stoddart can stand any amount of personal criticism.

put up with:They had put up with terrible behaviour from their son.

tolerate:She can no longer tolerate the position that she's in.

bear:They will have to bear the misery of living in constant fear of war. USAGE accept

Don’t say that you ‘ accept to do ’ what someone suggests. You say that you agree to do it. □  The princess agreed to go on television.

ac|cept|able ◆◇◇ /ækse ptəb ^ə l/