Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
#121821 01/31/04 08:41 PM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
W
wwh Offline OP
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
I encountered a derivative of this in a rhetoric site, in a
discussion of expletives - "accostives". I searched for it,]
could not find a dictionary defintion. So I looked up
"accost" and got some surpises, particularly the etymology.
Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Definition: \Ac*cost"\ (#; 115), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Accosted}; p.
pr. & vb. n. {Accosting}.] [F. accoster, LL. accostare to
bring side by side; L. ad + costa rib, side. See {Coast}, and
cf. {Accoast}.]
1. To join side to side; to border; hence, to sail along the
coast or side of. [Obs.] ``So much [of Lapland] as accosts
the sea.'' --Fuller.

2. To approach; to make up to. [Archaic] --Shak.

3. To speak to first; to address; to greet. ``Him, Satan thus
accosts.'' --Milton.


\Ac*cost"\, v. i.
To adjoin; to lie alongside. [Obs.] ``The shores which to the
sea accost.'' --Spenser.


\Ac*cost"\, n.
Address; greeting. [R.] --J. Morley.

I have seen "accost" used only to mean to speak to someone,
especially someone not known to you. I think it is also sometimes a legal term, similary to "soliciting", as part of a charge against prostitutes, or their "johns". I had no idea that ribs were involved!


An "accostive" then might be similar to a "salutation" (which doesn't alway mean wishing someone good health).















wwh #190225 03/31/10 09:52 AM
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 3
B
stranger
Offline
stranger
B
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 3
Nice work! It looks that you are highly expert blogger. Your post is an excellent example of why I keep coming back to read your excellent quality content that is forever updated.

wwh #216976 06/09/14 04:20 AM
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 291
enthusiast
Offline
enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 291
I found this quote from an article titled:

Insomnia Framed
as Analytical Neuroses



"He went on to boldly hypothesize that the contagious fallout of this pan-traumatic process was a new epidemic called Chronic Fatigue Syndrome which was the result of an overcharged immune system; there being just too many things to fend off in this crowded accostive world. An odd thing about the Syndrome though is that it combines two sensations in one (but that doesn't mean you're getting a bargain): everybody is tired all the time but nobody can sleep."

http://www.thinicepress.com/WatsonMadore.html

If you define 'accostive' in this context, then it conjures up agression in the world, which gets back to the definition for 'accost'.


live in the moment
wwh #227097 05/25/17 04:33 PM
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 1
B
stranger
Offline
stranger
B
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 1
Using "Accostive" is not the same as using "Fruitation?" lol

bpatterson0032 #227098 05/25/17 07:49 PM
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,934
Likes: 3
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,934
Likes: 3
You are responding to a posting made three years ago.


----please, draw me a sheep----

Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,913
Posts229,629
Members9,187
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
Karin, JeffMackwood, artguitar, Jim_W, Rdbuffalo
9,187 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
1 members (A C Bowden), 546 guests, and 4 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
wofahulicodoc 10,746
tsuwm 10,542
LukeJavan8 9,934
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5