accord
verbEtymology From Middle English accorden, acorden, borrowed from Old French acorder (compare modern French accord and accorder), from Vulgar Latin *accordāre, from Latin concordāre via prefix substitution (with Latin ad-), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱḗr ~ *ḱr̥d-, and thus distantly related to English heart (via Proto-Germanic *hertô).
7 senses
1
To make to agree or correspond; to suit one thing to another; to adjust.
- [H]er hands accorded the Lutes muſicke to the voice; […]a. 1587, Philippe Sidnei [i.e., Philip Sidney], “[The Second Booke] Chapter 11”, in [Fulke Greville; Matthew Gwinne; John Florio], editors, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia [The New Arcadia], London: […] [John Windet] for William Ponsonbie, published 1590, →OCLC, folio 150, recto:
2
To bring (people) to an agreement; to reconcile, settle, adjust or harmonize.
- But Satyrane forth ſtepping, did them ſtay / And with faire treaty pacifide their yre; / Then when they were accorded from the fray, […]1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto IX”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, page 532:
- All which Particulars (with many more of the like Nature) being confeſſedly knotty and difficult, can never be accorded, but by a competent Stock of critical Learning; […]1660 August 7 (date delivered; Gregorian calendar); first published 1715, Robert South, “A Sermon Preached at St. Mary’s Church in Oxon, before the University, […]”, in Twelve Sermons Preached at Several Times, and upon Several Occasions, volume IV, London: […] G. James, for Jonah Bowyer […], →OCLC, pages 17–18:
3
To agree or correspond; to be in harmony; to be concordant.
- For things are often ſpoke, and ſeldome meant, / But that my heart accordeth with my tongue, […]1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i], page 132, column 2:
- Thy actions to thy words accord, thy words / To thy large heart give utterance due, thy heart / Conteins of good, wiſe, juſt, the perfect ſhape.1671, John Milton, “The Third Book”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 54, lines 9–11:
2 more examples
- Let knowledge grow from more to more, / But more of reverence in us dwell; / That mind and soul, according well, / May make one music as before, / But vaster.1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Prologue”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page vi:
- Carried somehow, somewhither, for some reason, on these surging floods, were these travelers,[…]. Even such a boat as the Mount Vernon offered a total deck space so cramped as to leave secrecy or privacy well out of the question, even had the motley and democratic assemblage of passengers been disposed to accord either.1910, Emerson Hough, “The Gateway, and Some Who Passed”, in The Purchase Price: Or The Cause of Compromise, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC, page 29:
4
To agree in pitch and tone.
5
Law To grant as suitable or proper; to concede or award.
- And, when the blinding tears had fallen, I saw That column, and those corpses, and the moon, And felt the poisonous tooth of hunger gnaw My vitals, I rejoiced, as if the boon Of senseless death would be accorded soon;— […]1817 December, Percy Bysshe Shelley, “The Revolt of Islam. […]”, in [Mary] Shelley, editor, The Poetical Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley. […], volume I, London: Edward Moxon […], published 1839, →OCLC, page 217:
- In respect of the protection of industrial property,[…]a refugee shall be accorded in the country in which he has his habitual residence the same protection as is accorded to nationals of that country.1951, United Nations, Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, article 14:
2 more examples
- Yes, the tide will surely turn, and meanwhile may one who is proud to call himself a partisan, invite whomever may feel disposed to bid the "T14s" adieux, to pause before giving them valediction and accord to them the respect that is assuredly their due.1952 January, Henry Maxwell, “Farewell to the "T14s"”, in Railway Magazine, page 57:
- In the present case, and contrary to the Government’s submission, the Court considers that there is indeed a consensus amongst a substantial majority of the Contracting States of the Council of Europe towards allowing abortion on broader grounds than accorded under Irish law.2010 December 16, European Court of Human Rights, A, B and C v. Ireland, number 25579/05, marginal 235:
6
Obsolete To give consent.
7
Archaic To arrive at an agreement.
- Derived terms
- accordance, accordant, according, accordingly, accordment, accord with, defence accord, reaccord, unaccorded