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accent

 - 4 dictionary results
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ac⋅cent

  [n. ak-sent; v. ak-sent, ak-sent]
Use accent in a Sentence
–noun
1. prominence of a syllable in terms of differential loudness, or of pitch, or length, or of a combination of these.
2. degree of prominence of a syllable within a word and sometimes of a word within a phrase: primary accent; secondary accent.
3. a mark indicating stress (as (ʹ, ʹ), or (ˈ, ˌ), or (′, ″)), vowel quality (as French grave `, acute ´, circumflex ^), form (as French la “the” versus là “there”), or pitch.
4. any similar mark.
5. Prosody.
a. regularly recurring stress.
b. a mark indicating stress or some other distinction in pronunciation or value.
6. a musical tone or pattern of pitch inherent in a particular language either as a feature essential to the identification of a vowel or a syllable or to the general acoustic character of the language. Compare tone (def. 7).
7. Often, accents.
a. the unique speech patterns, inflections, choice of words, etc., that identify a particular individual: We recognized his accents immediately. She corrected me in her usual mild accents.
b. the distinctive style or tone characteristic of an author, composer, etc.: the unmistakably Brahmsian accents of the sonata; She recognized the familiar accents of Robert Frost in the poem.
8. a mode of pronunciation, as pitch or tone, emphasis pattern, or intonation, characteristic of or peculiar to the speech of a particular person, group, or locality: French accent; Southern accent. Compare tone (def. 5).
9. such a mode of pronunciation recognized as being of foreign origin: He still speaks with an accent.
10. Music.
a. a stress or emphasis given to certain notes.
b. a mark noting this.
c. stress or emphasis regularly recurring as a feature of rhythm.
11. Mathematics.
a. a symbol used to distinguish similar quantities that differ in value, as in b′, b″, b‴ (called b prime, b second or b double prime, b third or b triple prime, respectively).
b. a symbol used to indicate a particular unit of measure, as feet (′) or inches (″), minutes (′) or seconds (″).
c. a symbol used to indicate the order of a derivative of a function in calculus, as f′ (called f prime) is the first derivative of a function f.
12. words or tones expressive of some emotion.
13. accents, words; language; speech: He spoke in accents bold.
14. distinctive character or tone: an accent of whining complaint.
15. special attention, stress, or emphasis: an accent on accuracy.
16. a detail that is emphasized by contrasting with its surroundings: a room decorated in navy blue with two red vases as accents.
17. a distinctive but subordinate pattern, motif, color, flavor, or the like: The salad dressing had an accent of garlic.
–verb (used with object)
18. to pronounce with prominence (a syllable within a word or a word within a phrase): to accent the first syllable of “into”; to accent the first word of “White House.”
19. to mark with a written accent or accents.
20. to give emphasis or prominence to; accentuate.
Origin:
1520–30; < L accentus speaking tone, equiv. to ac- ac- + -centus, comb. form of cantus song (see canto ); trans. of Gk prosōidía prosody

Related forms:
ac⋅cent⋅less, adjective
ac⋅cen⋅tu⋅a⋅ble  [ak-sen-choo-uh-buhl] , adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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ac·cent   (āk'sěnt')   
n.  

  1. The relative prominence of a particular syllable of a word by greater intensity or by variation or modulation of pitch or tone.

  2. Vocal prominence or emphasis given to a particular syllable, word, or phrase.

  3. A characteristic pronunciation, especially:

    1. One determined by the regional or social background of the speaker.

    2. One determined by the phonetic habits of the speaker's native language carried over to his or her use of another language.

    3. Emphasis or prominence given to a note or chord, as by an increase in volume or extended duration.

    4. A mark representing this.

    5. A mark used as a superscript to distinguish among variables represented by the same symbol.

    6. A mark used as a superscript to indicate the first derivative of a variable.

    7. A distinctive feature or quality, such as a feature that accentuates, contrasts with, or complements a decorative style.

    8. Something that accentuates or contrasts something else, as a touch of color that makes the features of an image stand out.

  4. A mark or symbol used in the printing and writing of certain languages to indicate the vocal quality to be given to a particular letter: an acute accent.

  5. A mark or symbol used in printing and writing to indicate the stressed syllables of a spoken word.

  6. Rhythmically significant stress in a line of verse.

  7. Music

    1. Emphasis or prominence given to a note or chord, as by an increase in volume or extended duration.

    2. A mark representing this.

    3. A mark used as a superscript to distinguish among variables represented by the same symbol.

    4. A mark used as a superscript to indicate the first derivative of a variable.

    5. A distinctive feature or quality, such as a feature that accentuates, contrasts with, or complements a decorative style.

    6. Something that accentuates or contrasts something else, as a touch of color that makes the features of an image stand out.

  8. Mathematics

    1. A mark used as a superscript to distinguish among variables represented by the same symbol.

    2. A mark used as a superscript to indicate the first derivative of a variable.

    3. A distinctive feature or quality, such as a feature that accentuates, contrasts with, or complements a decorative style.

    4. Something that accentuates or contrasts something else, as a touch of color that makes the features of an image stand out.

  9. A mark or one of several marks used as a superscript to indicate a unit, such as feet (') and inches (") in linear measurement.

    1. A distinctive feature or quality, such as a feature that accentuates, contrasts with, or complements a decorative style.

    2. Something that accentuates or contrasts something else, as a touch of color that makes the features of an image stand out.

  11. Particular importance or interest; emphasis: The accent is on comfort. See Synonyms at emphasis.

tr.v.   (āk'sěnt', āk-sěnt') ac·cent·ed, ac·cent·ing, ac·cents

  1. To stress or emphasize the pronunciation of.

  2. To mark with a printed accent.

  3. To focus attention on; accentuate: a program that accents leadership development.


[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin accentus, accentuation : ad-, ad- + cantus, song (from canere, to sing; see kan- in Indo-European roots).]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

accent 
1538, "particular mode of pronunciation," from M.Fr. accent, from O.Fr. acent, from L. accentus "song added to speech," from ad- "to" + cantus "a singing," pp. of canere "to sing" (see chant). Loan-translation of Gk. prosoidia, from pros- "to" + oide "song," which apparently described the pitch scheme in Gk. verse. The decorating sense of "something that emphasizes or highlights" is from 1972. The verb meaning "to pronounce with accent or stress" is first recorded 1530.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Computing Dictionary

Accent language
A very high level interpreted language from CaseWare, Inc. with strings and tables. It is strongly typed and has remote function calls.
(1994-11-08)

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © 1993-2007 Denis Howe
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