[a. Fr. accession (14th c. in Godef.), ad. L. accēssiōn-em a going to, joining, increase, n. of action f. accēdĕre, accēssum: see ACCEDE. It has partly occupied the ground of the earlier ACCESS.] Generally, the action of going to, joining oneself to, and its result. Hence,
I. A coming to.
1. The action of coming near, approach; a coming into the presence of any one, or into contact with any thing; admittance, admission; = ACCESS 1.
1652. Gaule, Mag-astro-mancer, 160. The rationall creatures are the more noble in themselves, and of more neer accession to the divine similitude.
1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., IX. 100. There is moreover granted leave of accession unto him.
1677. Hale, Prim. Orig. Man., 19. Now there may be many things in Nature unto which we can have neither of these accessions of Sense.
1691. Ray, Creation (1714), 198. For want of Accession of the Sun.
1812. Sir H. Davy, Chem. Philos., 395. Two of the oxides of lead may be formed by heat, with accession of air.
1853. Kane, Grinnell Exped. (1856), xxxv. 312. It might be supposed … that the accession of solar light would be accompanied by increase of temperature.
† 2. The action of coming to (a point) by forward or onward motion; advance, coming, arrival. Obs.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., 57. Not varying at all by the accession of bodyes upon, or secession thereof, from its surface.
1655–60. T. Stanley, Hist. Philos. (1701), 9/2. He first found out the accession of the Sun from Tropick to Tropick.
1656. trans. Hobbes, Elem. Philos. (1839), 471. Now this expansion of the air upon the superficies of the earth, from east to west, doth, by reason of the sun’s perpetual accession to the places which are successively under it, make it cold at the time of the sun’s rising and setting.
3. The act of coming or attaining to a dignity, office, or position of honor, esp. the throne.
1769. Burke, State of Nation, Wks. II. 15. That the only good minister … since his Majesty’s accession, is the Earl of Bute.
1876. Freeman, Norm. Conq., I. iv. 232. Hugh, on his accession to manhood, did homage to the King.
II. A coming to as an addition.
4. The act of coming to so as to join, or of joining oneself to; joining, addition.
1633. T. Adams, Comm. 2 Pet. i. 6 (1865), 79. Necessary therefore is the accession of piety to patience.
1675. Barclay, Apol. for Quakers, xiv. § 4. 498. The Church can be no ways bettered by the Accession of Hypocrites.
1876. Freeman, Norm. Conq., I. v. 356. England had gained greatly by the accession of the valiant Thurkhill.
5. The act of acceding or agreeing to an opinion, plan, or proceeding; adherence, assent.
1603–5. Sir J. Melvil, Mem. (1735), 130. The King repented himself of his Accession to that affair.
1794. S. Williams, Hist. Vermont, 283. Declaring their acquiescence in, and accession to the determination made by Congress.
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth, II. 251. The Prince had no accession to this second aggression upon the citizens of Perth.
Deed of Accession, in Scotch Law, a deed by the creditors of a bankrupt, by which they accede to a trust executed by their debtor for the general behoof, and bind themselves to concur in the arrangement.
6. That which adds itself, or is added to anything; that whereby it is increased; addition, augmentation, increase. Applied also to persons.
1588. Lambarde, Eirenarcha, I. ix. 47. The forme of this Commission hath varied with the time, and received sundrie accessions.
1592. W. West, Symbolæogr., B iiij. 37 A. Accessions … to contracts be these things which be required beside the principall things themselves.
1692. Washington, trans. Milton, Def. Pop. (1851), v. 139. And Egypt became an Accession to the kingdom of Ethiopia.
1778. Johnson, in Boswell, III. 159. Mr. Banks desires to be admitted [to the club]; he will be a very honourable accession.
1798. Wellesley, Desp., 25. He has not yet obtained any formidable accession of strength from his alliance with France.
1838. Hallam, Hist. Lit., I. Pref. 10. This volume … is a very convenient accession to any scholar’s library.
1855. Prescott, Philip II., I. IV. ii. 409. Every year the fraternity received fresh accessions of princes and nobles.
7. Law. Addition to property by natural growth or artificial improvement; which becomes the property of the owner of that which receives the addition, who is said to acquire the proprietorship thereof by Accession.
1768. Blackstone, Comm., II. 404. The doctrine of property arising from accession is also grounded on the right of occupancy.
1832. J. Austin, Jurispr. (1879), II. liv. 904. The acquisition of ‘jus in rem’ by accession … as land washed away and joined to one’s own land, or the fruits of one’s own land.
1847. Craig, s.v. Artificial accession is that addition which is the result of human industry, called likewise industrial accession, as trees planted, or a house built on the property of another, which belongs to the proprietor of the ground, and not to the planter or builder.
† III. A coming on or invasion of disease; an attack, fit, or paroxysm; also a visitation, or fit of folly, etc. = ACCESS 9. Obs.
1655. H. Vaughan, Silex Scint., I. 105. Pills that change Thy sick Accessions into setled health.
1771. Smollett, Humphry Cl. (1815), 162. Some of our family have had very uncommon accessions … [and] sometimes speak as if they were really inspired.
1827. Southey, Lett. (1856), IV. 54. Those accessions of folly to which men are sometimes subject.
