Middle English Dictionary Entry
ac(c)ūsāciǒun, -tiọ̄n n.
Entry Info
| Forms | ac(c)ūsāciǒun, -tiọ̄n n. |
| Etymology | OF & L |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) The act of charging someone with an offence or misconduct; (b) law formal accusation, indictment; (c) self-accusation, confession.
Associated quotations
a
- c1390 Þe wyse mon in (Vrn)137 : Ȝif þou here eni accusacioun Of eni of þy peple..Enquere furst þerof þe verite.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.4354 : His clausis for to rede, Þat resownede..Only of malys to accusacioun Of þis women.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.pr.4.300 : It scholde be torned into the habyt of accusacioun. That is to seyn, thei scholden accuse schrewes, and nat excusen hem.
- (a1460) DSPhilos.(Helm)37/20 : Thu shal be the cause of thyne owen accusacion.
b
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)1 Tim.5.19 : Ageynus..þe preest wil þou not ressayfe acusacyoun but vnder two or thre witnessis.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)5.35 : Eny man scholde not be deiecte withowte a lawefulle accusacion precedenge.
c
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)181/8 : Accusacyoun in schryfte muste be hole in symplycite.
2.
A charge of misconduct or wrong-doing, esp. in court; declaren, leggen, peten ~, make an accusation.
Associated quotations
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)5.157 : It was sone i-knowe þat þe accusacioun was false.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)18b/b : He puttiþ forþ accusasiouns & blames..he infectiþ innocence of goode men with blames and false accusaciouns.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)1.pr.4.108 : The peyne of the accusacion ajugid byforn ne schulde noght sodeynli henten ne punyssche wrongfully Albyn.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)5559 : A-geynys hyr sustrys acusacyoun He fonde a resonable excusacyoun.
- (1450) RParl.5.182a : There was declared to hym the grete accusations and empechementez, made ayenst hym by all the Commens of the Parlement, of grete and heynous tresons doon ayenst the Kynges owne persone.
- ?c1475 *Trev.Nicod.(Sal 39)129b : Þe Iewes come to pylatus and..acusede hym of many acusacouns.
- ?c1475 *Trev.Nicod.(Sal 39)131a : Wat acusacoun pete ȝe aȝeynes þys man?
- a1500 Rolle Mend.L.(Wor F.172)31 : Thei leggen accusaciounis whiche most accusen hem.
- a1500 Rolle MPass.(2) (CmbAdd 3042)94 : Alle þe false accusaciouns of þe iewis.