Accident
Ac·ci·dent
Accident
n.
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Literally, a befalling; an event that takes place without one's foresight or expectation; an undesigned, sudden, and unexpected event; chance; contingency; often, an undesigned and unforeseen occurrence of an afflictive or unfortunate character; a casualty; a mishap; as, to die by an accident.
Of moving accidents by flood and field.
Thou cam'st not to thy place by accident: It is the very place God meant for thee.
- A property attached to a word, but not essential to it, as gender, number, case. (Gram.)
- A point or mark which may be retained or omitted in a coat of arms. (Her.)
- A property or quality of a thing which is not essential to it, as whiteness in paper; an attribute. (Log.)
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Any accidental property, fact, or relation; an accidental or nonessential; as, beauty is an accident.
This accident, as I call it, of Athens being situated some miles from the sea.
- Unusual appearance or effect. [Obs.]