sb. and a. [f. ACCESS sb. + -ARY, as if ad. L. *accēssāri-us, an analogical formation on accēssus, cf. emissary, commissary, adversary, notary. The sb. is etymologically accessary and the adj. accessory, cf. emissary sb., promissory adj., but as the adj. was first taken directly from the sb. it was naturally spelt accessary. Being afterwards ‘rectified’ by scholars to accessory, after the L. accessōrius, it drew the noun after it, so that this also is now often spelt ACCESSORY. In the legal sense the word is commonly accessary (though Blackstone wrote accessory), and Webster recommends that it be so preserved, and spelt accessory in other senses. But as it is often used of things fig. from the legal sense, as in accessary and principal, it is doubtful if the distinction is practicable. The historical and etymological pronunc. is a·ccessary, but acce·ssary (cf. interce·ssory) is also in use. So with its derivatives.]
A. sb.
1. One who accedes, or gives his accession (formerly access) to any act or undertaking; an adherent, assistant, or helper. In Law: ‘He who is not the chief actor in the offence, nor present at its performance, but in some way concerned therein, either before or after the fact committed.’ 1768, Blackstone, Comment., IV. 35.
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng. (1520), VII. 157 b/1. To take and brynge hym and his accessaryes to the kynge.
1594. Nashe, Unfort. Trav., 40. To prison was I sent as principal, and my master as accessarie.
1660. H. Finch, Regicides (1679), 158. He knows very well there are no accessaries in Treason.
1859. Mill, Liberty, iv. 129. The moral anomaly of punishing the accessary.
2. Of things. (Partly fig. from the last, partly from ACCESSORY a.) Anything assisting or contributory; anything subordinate; an adjunct, or accompaniment. (See ACCESSORY, B. 1.)
1534. Ld. Berners, Gold. Bk. of M. Aurel. (1546), H h. ij. The auctoritie of his office … ought to be his accessarie, and his good lyfe for principall.
1699. Bentley, Phalaris, 424. It shews no great reverence to those Sacred Writings, to bring them, though it be but as Accessaries, into Farce and Ridicule.
1850. Mrs. Jameson, Sacred & Leg. Art, 355. The attention … is distracted by the accessaries.
B. adj.
1. Of persons: Acceding or adhering to; assisting as a subordinate. In Law: Participating or sharing in a crime, though not the chief actor; participant, privy.
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., I. ii. 192. To both their deaths shalt thou be accessary.
1698. Dryden, Æneid, IV. 543. A God’s command he pleads, And makes Heav’n accessary to his Deeds.
1741. Richardson, Pamela (1824), I. xix. 30. Don’t imagine that I would be accessary to your ruin for the world.
1827. Hallam, Const. Hist. (1876), I. i. 31. Both houses of parliament were commonly made accessary to the legal murders of this [Henry VIII.’s] reign.
† 2. Of things: Subordinate, additional, accompanying, non-essential, adventitious; = ACCESSORY, A. 1 (which is now alone used in this sense). Obs.
1552–5. Latimer, Serm. & Rem. (1845), 37. Hawking and hunting is but an accessary thing.
1661. Bramhall, Just Vind., iii. 38. Foundations which were good in their original institution ought not to be destroyed for accessary abuses.
1691. Case of Exeter Coll., 29. The Oath being accessary to the Statutes.
