accuse

B1 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /əˈkjuz/ UK /əˈkjuːz/ See IPA manual

Freq #6123

Meanings

1

verb
To say that someone has done something wrong or illegal.

I accused my neighbor of breaking my window.
2

verb
To formally charge someone with a crime.

He was accused of theft and brought before the court.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to say that someone has... blame charge censure

2 verb · to formally charge someone... indict incriminate impeach

Word family

Forms accusesaccusing

Derived forms accusalaccuseeaccusementaccusiveaccusorcounteraccusehackusatemisaccusereaccuse

Related forms accusableaccusation accusative accusatory accuser excuserecuseruse

Etymology

First attested around 1300. From Middle English acusen, from Old French acuser, from Latin accūsō (“to call to account, accuse”), from ad (“to”) + causa (“cause, lawsuit, reason”). Akin to cause. Displaced native English bewray.

acusen Middle English acuser Old French accūsō Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# accuse

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /əˈkjuz/
**IPA (UK):** /əˈkjuːz/
**Frequency rank:** 6123

## Meanings
1. To say that someone has done something wrong or illegal.
2. To formally charge someone with a crime.

## Examples
- I accused my neighbor of breaking my window.
- He was accused of theft and brought before the court.

## Derived Forms
- accusal
- accusee
- accusement
- accusive
- accusor
- counteraccuse
- hackusate
- misaccuse
- reaccuse

## Related Forms
- accusable
- accusation
- accusative
- accusatory
- accuser
- excuse
- recuse
- ruse

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: acusen
- Root: acuser
- Root: accūsō

## Etymology
First attested around 1300. From Middle English acusen, from Old French acuser, from Latin accūsō (“to call to account, accuse”), from ad (“to”) + causa (“cause, lawsuit, reason”). Akin to cause. Displaced native English bewray.

## AI Etymology
Accuse is first attested around 1300. It comes from Middle English acusen, from Old French acuser, from Latin accūsō (“to call to account, accuse”), from ad (“to”) plus causa (“cause, lawsuit, reason”). Akin to cause. Displaced native English bewray. The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern nominal form is built from the named base and affix.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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