c. 1400, "affording access, capable of being approached or reached," from Old French accessible and directly from Late Latin accessibilis, verbal adjective from Latin accessus "a coming near, an approach; an entrance," from accedere "approach, go to, come near, enter upon" (see accede). The meaning "easy to reach" is from 1640s; of art or writing, "able to be readily understood," by 1961 (a word not needed before writing or art often deliberately was made not so). Related: Accessibility.
1610s, "unprovoked attack," from French aggression (16c., Modern French agression), from Latin aggressionem (nominative aggressio) "a going to, an attack," noun of action from past-participle stem of aggredi "to approach; to attempt; to attack," from ad "to" (see ad-) + gradi (past participle gressus) "to step," from gradus "a step," figuratively "a step toward something, an approach" (from PIE root *ghredh- "to walk, go"). The psychological sense of "hostile or destructive behavior" is recorded by 1912 in A.A. Brill's translation of Freud.
1791, "characterized by aggression, tending to make the first attack," with -ive + Latin aggress-, past-participle stem of aggredi "to approach; to attempt; to attack," from ad "to" (see ad-) + gradi (past participle gressus) "to step," from gradus "a step," figuratively "a step toward something, an approach" (from PIE root *ghredh- "to walk, go"). In psychological use from 1913, first in translations of Freud. The colloquial meaning "self-assertive, pushy" is from 1931. Related: Aggressively; aggressiveness.
1550s, "subordinate;" c. 1600, "aiding in crime;" 1610s, "aiding in producing some effect," from Late Latin accessorius, from accessor, agent noun from accedere "to approach" (see accede). Meaning "aiding in crime" is from c. 1600.
"come to or arrive at" (a state, position, office, etc.), early 15c., from Latin accedere "approach, go to, come near, enter upon," from assimilated form of ad "to" (see ad-) + cedere "go, move, withdraw" (from PIE root *ked- "to go, yield"). Latin ad- usually became ac- before "k" sounds. Related: Acceded; acceding.
"boy who travels with a tramp and begs for him," by 1893, a jargon term of unknown origin. There are contemporary slang or vernacular alterations of professional that approach it in form. His protector/owner was a jocker, which also was used as a verb.
of persons, "open to conversation or approach," late 15c., from Old French affable "benign, approachable" (14c.), from Latin affabilis "approachable, courteous, kind, friendly," literally "who can be (easily) spoken to," from affari "to speak to," from ad "to" (see ad-) + fari "to speak" (from PIE root *bha- (2) "to speak, tell, say"). Related: Affably. Glossed in Old English as wordwynsum.
early 15c., precursoure, "a forerunner; that which precedes an event and indicates its approach," from Old French precurseur and directly from Latin praecursor "forerunner," agent noun from past-participle stem of praecurrere, from prae "before" (see pre-) + currere "to run" (from PIE root *kers- "to run"). Originally of John the Baptist. Related: Precursive; precursory.
