accusative

views updated Jun 08 2018

ac·cu·sa·tive / əˈkyoōzətiv/ Gram. • adj. relating to or denoting a case of nouns, pronouns, and adjectives that expresses the object of an action or the goal of motion.• n. a word in the accusative case. ∎ (the accusative) the accusative case.

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English

accuse

views updated Jun 11 2018

ac·cuse / əˈkyoōz/ • v. charge (someone) with an offense or crime: accused of murder. ∎ claim that (someone) has done something wrong.DERIVATIVES: ac·cus·er n.

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English

accusative

views updated Jun 11 2018

accusative (gram.) case expressing chiefly destination or the goal of motion. XV. — (O)F. accusatif or L. accūsātīvus (sc. cāsus case), f. pp. stem of accūsāre ACCUSE. L. cāsus accūsātīvus renders Gr. ptôsis aitiātikḗ case of accusing.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology T. F. HOAD