also 6–7 acoast, accoast. [a. Fr. accoste-r, OFr. acoster:—late L. accostāre to be side to side, f. ac- = ad- to + costa rib, in late L. side. While still consciously connected with COAST it remained accoast, but since the idea of to address has become the leading one, it has been pronounced and written accost. Cf. ABORD, aboard.]
† 1. intr. (as in late L. accostare cum). To lie alongside, to coast, border; keep close. Obs.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., V. xi. 42. All the shores, which to the sea accoste, He day and night doth ward both farre and wide. Ibid., VI. ii. 32. Ne is there hauke which mantleth her on pearch, Whether high towring or accoasting low.
1611. Cotgr., Accoster: To accoast, or joyne side to side; to approach, or draw neere unto.
† 2. trans. To border on, adjoin. Obs.
1610. Holland, Camden’s Brit., I. 641. On the south side it is accosted with the Severn sea.
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. State, IV. xix. 338. If his land accosteth the sea, he considereth what havens therein are barr’d. Ibid. (1662), Worthies, Derbyshire, 235. Lapland hath since been often surrounded (so much as accosts the sea) by the English.
† 3. To go alongside of; to keep by the side of, to sail along the coast or side of. Obs. Cf. COAST v.
1578. G. Fenton, Hist. Guicciardin (1618), 346. The French … after they had accoasted the enemie to the mount Argentaro, returned againe to Genes.
1603. Florio, Montaigne (1634), 463. This [society of books] accosteth and secondeth all my course, and everywhere assisteth me.
† 4. refl. To accost oneself with: To keep beside, keep company with. Obs. rare.
1633. J. Done, trans. Aristeas’ Hist. Septuagint (1633), 92. Those that custome and acost themselves with men Wise and Prudent … change from good to better.
† 5. intr. To approach, draw near to. Obs. rare.
1635. J. Hayward, Banish’d Virgin, 54. If, leaving naturall considerations, we accoast to the supernaturall.
6. trans. To go close to, to approach, for any purpose; to assail, to face; to make up to. arch.
1599. Bp. Hall, Virgidem, Def. to Envie, 29. That Envie should accoast my muse and me.
1601. Shaks., Tw. Night, I. iii. 52. T. Accost Sir Andrew, accost … A. Good mistris Mary, accost. T. Accost, is front her, boord her, woe her, assayle her.
1611. Cotgr., Aborder: To approach, accoast, abboord, or draw neer unto.
1641. Ld. Brooke, Episcopacy, 22. Iron when accoasted by two load-stones of equall vertue on either side, not daring to embrace either, hovereth in medio between both.
1645. Quarles, Sol. Recant., x. 72. Rebell not thou, nor in a hostile way Accoast thy Prince; or suffer, or obey.
1704. Swift, Ta. Tub, Wks. 1760, I. 100. How fading and insipid do all objects accost us that are not conveyed in the vehicle of delusion.
1765. Tucker, Lt. of Nat., II. 382. Incapable of resisting the first temptation that should accost him.
1874. J. H. Newman, Dream of Geront., 16. All around Over the surface of my subtle being, As though I were a sphere, and capable To be accosted thus.
7. To make up to and speak to; to address.
1612. Chapman, Widdowe’s Teares, Plays, 1873, III. 10. Ile a-coast her Countesship.
1630. Lord, Banians, 20. Shuddery at length accoasted her, whose approach she received doubtfully.
1667. Milton, P. L., IV. 822. [They] thus, unmoved with fear, accost him soon.
1718. Pope, Iliad, X. 224. Nestor with joy the wakeful band survey’d, And thus accosted through the gloomy shade.
1785. Cowper, Gilpin, 56. The Callender … Laid down his pipe, flew to the gate, And thus accosted him.
1794. Paley, Evid. (1817), II. ix. 216. The first epistle of Peter accosts the Christians dispersed throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.
1833. Brewster, Nat. Magic, i. 4. The vocal statue of Memnon, which began at the break of day to accost the rising sun.
1839. W. Irving, Wolfert’s Roost (1855), 101. Accosting the commander with an air of coolness and unconcern.
