Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary

3 ADJ You can use accurate to describe the results of someone's actions when they do or copy something correctly or exactly. □  Marks were given for accurate spelling and punctuation.

4 ADJ An accurate weapon or throw reaches the exact point or target that it was intended to reach. You can also describe a person as accurate if they fire a weapon or throw something in this way. □  The rifle was extremely accurate. ●  ac|cu|rate|ly ADV [ADV with v] □  …the technology to aim bombs accurately from aircraft.

ac|curs|ed /əkɜː ^r s I d, əkɜː ^r st/

1 ADJ [ADJ n] Some people use accursed to describe something which they are very annoyed about. [OLD-FASHIONED , FEELINGS ]

2 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If a person is accursed , they have been cursed. [LITERARY ]

ac|cu|sa|tion /æ kjʊze I ʃ ^ə n/ (accusations )

1 N‑VAR [oft N that] If you make an accusation against someone, you criticize them or express the belief that they have done something wrong. □  Kim rejects accusations that Country music is over-sentimental.

2 N‑COUNT [N that] An accusation is a statement or claim by a witness or someone in authority that a particular person has committed a crime, although this has not yet been proved. □ [+ of ] …people who have made public accusations of rape.

ac|cu|sa|tive /əkjuː zət I v/ N‑SING In the grammar of some languages, the accusative , or the accusative case , is the case used for a noun when it is the direct object of a verb, or the object of some prepositions. In English, only the pronouns 'me', 'him', 'her', 'us', and 'them' are in the accusative. Compare nominative .

ac|cu|sa|tory /əkjuː zətəri, [AM ] -tɔːri/ ADJ An accusatory look, remark, or tone of voice suggests blame or criticism. [WRITTEN ] □  …the accusatory tone of the questions.

ac|cuse ◆◆◇ /əkjuː z/ (accuses , accusing , accused )

1 VERB If you accuse someone of doing something wrong or dishonest, you say or tell them that you believe that they did it. □ [V n + of ] He was accusing my mum of having an affair with another man. □ [V ] Talk things through in stages. Do not accuse or apportion blame. [Also V n]

2 VERB If you are accused of a crime, a witness or someone in authority states or claims that you did it, and you may be formally charged with it and put on trial. □ [be V -ed + of ] Her assistant was accused of theft and fraud by the police. □ [V n + of ] All seven charges accused him of lying in his testimony. □ [V -ed] The accused men have been given relatively light sentences. [Also V n]

3 → see also accused , accusing

4 PHRASE If someone stands accused of something, they have been accused of it. □ [+ of ] The candidate stands accused of breaking promises even before he's in office. SYNONYMS accuse VERB

1

blame:If it wasn't Sam's fault, why was I blaming him?

allege:It was alleged that the restaurant discriminated against black customers.

denounce:Some 25,000 demonstrators denounced him as a traitor.

2

charge:Police have charged Mr Bell with murder.

indict:He was later indicted on corruption charges.

impeach:…an opposition move to impeach the President.

ac|cused /əkjuː zd/ (accused ) N‑COUNT You can use the accused to refer to a person or a group of people charged with a crime or on trial for it. [LEGAL ] □  The accused is alleged to be a member of a right-wing gang.

ac|cus|er /əkjuː zə ^r / (accusers ) N‑COUNT [usu poss N ] An accuser is a person who says that another person has done something wrong, especially that he or she has committed a crime. □  …a criminal proceeding where defendants have the right to confront their accusers.

ac|cus|ing /əkjuː z I ŋ/