ac|cess

ac|cess «noun. AK sehs; verb. AK suhs, ak SEHS», noun, verb.

–n.

1. the right or privilege to approach, enter, or use; admittance: »

All children have access to the library during the afternoon.

SYNONYM(S): admission.

2. approach to places, persons, or things: »

Access to mountain towns is often difficult because of poor roads. Have you access to people who can help you get work?

SYNONYM(S): accessibility.

3. a way or means of approach; entrance: »

A ladder provided the only access to the attic. Figurative. A minister must try every access to the conscience.

4. an attack (of disease): »

the access of her asthma in the spring.

5. Figurative. an outburst, as of anger.

6. increase; accession.

7. the act of coming toward; approach: »

the access of winter.

SYNONYM(S): onset.

8. = access time. (Cf. ↑access time)

–v.t.

1. to obtain access to; reach: »

The pallets run…in open, parallel passageways, which can only be accessed from each end (New Scientist).

2. to retrieve (data) from a computer: »

... the ability of a program to access a remote data set as if it were local with no special planning (David J. Farber).

╂[< Old French acces attack, learned borrowing from Latin accessus, -ūs a coming to < accēdere approach < ad- to + cēdere move, go]