Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Accessary?

\Ac*ces"sa*ry\ (#; 277), a. Accompanying, as a subordinate; additional; accessory; esp., uniting in, or contributing to, a crime, but not as chief actor. See {Accessory}. To both their deaths thou shalt be accessary. --Shak. Amongst many secondary and accessary causes that support monarchy, these are not of least reckoning. --Milton.
\Ac*ces"sa*ry\ (277), n.; pl. {Accessaries}. [Cf. {Accessory} and LL. accessarius.] (Law) One who, not being present, contributes as an assistant or instigator to the commission of an offense. {Accessary before the fact} (Law), one who commands or counsels an offense, not being present at its commission. {Accessary after the fact}, one who, after an offense, assists or shelters the offender, not being present at the commission of the offense. Note: This word, as used in law, is spelt accessory by Blackstone and many others; but in this sense is spelt accessary by Bouvier, Burrill, Burns, Whishaw, Dane, and the Penny Cyclopedia; while in other senses it is spelt accessory. In recent text-books on criminal law the distinction is not preserved, the spelling being either accessary or accessory.