accessary meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

accessary

noun

US, UK /əkˈsɛs(ə)ɹi/

Etymology From Middle English accessarie, axcessary, excercary, from Medieval Latin accessārius.

Law Someone who accedes to some act, now especially a crime; one who contributes as an assistant or instigator to the commission of an offense.

Derived terms: one who, after an offense, assists, shelters the offender, not being present at the commission of the offense, one who commands, counsels an offense, not being present at its commission, accessaryship

adj

Etymology Borrowed from Medieval Latin accessārius.

Law Accompanying as a subordinate; additional; accessory; especially, uniting in, or contributing to, a crime, but not as chief actor. See accessory.

To both their deaths ſhalt thou be acceſſary.c. 1593 (date written), [William Shakespeare], The Tragedy of King Richard the Third. […] (First Quarto), London: […] Valentine Sims [and Peter Short] for Andrew Wise, […], published 1597, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii], signature B2, verso:

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.