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Accent vs Absent - What's the difference?

accent | absent |

As nouns the difference between accent and absent

is that accent is (linguistics) a higher-pitched or stronger articulation of a particular syllable of a word or phrase in order to distinguish it from the others or to emphasize it while absent is (obsolete) absentee; a person who is away on occasion .

As verbs the difference between accent and absent

is that accent is to express the accent of vocally; to utter with accent while absent is (transitive|now|reflexive) keep away; stay away; go away .

As an adjective absent is

(not comparable) being away from a place; withdrawn from a place; not present; missing .

As a preposition absent is

(legal) in the absence of; without .

accent

English

(wikipedia accent)

Etymology 1

First attested in the late 14th century. (The "decorative" sense is first attested in 1972.) From (etyl) accent, from (etyl) acent, from (etyl) accentus, formed from ad + with a vowel change.

Noun

(en noun)
  • (linguistics) A higher-pitched or stronger articulation of a particular syllable of a word or phrase in order to distinguish it from the others or to emphasize it.
    • In the word "careful", the accent is placed on the first syllable.
  • (figuratively) Emphasis or importance in general.
    • At this hotel, the accent is on luxury.
  • (orthography) A mark or character used in writing, in order to indicate the place of the spoken accent, or to indicate the nature or quality of the vowel marked.
    • The name Cézanne is written with an acute accent .
  • (senseid) Modulation of the voice in speaking; the manner of speaking or pronouncing; a peculiar or characteristic modification of the voice, expressing emotion; tone.
  • * 1608 , , II-ii
    • I know, sir, I am no flatterer: he that beguiled you in a plain accent was a plain knave; which for my part I will not be, though I should win your displeasure to entreat me to 't.
  • * 1696 , , "From Celia to Damon", in Poems on Several Occasions
    • The tender Accent of a Woman's Cry / Will pass unheard, will unregarded die;
  • (linguistics) The distinctive manner of pronouncing a language associated with a particular region, social group, etc., whether of a native speaker or a foreign speaker; the phonetic and phonological aspects of a dialect.
    • a foreign accent'''; an American, British or Australian '''accent
  • A word; a significant tone or sound.
  • (usually, plural only) Expressions in general; speech.
  • * Dryden
    • Winds! on your wings to Heaven her accents bear, / Such words as Heaven alone is fit to hear.
  • (prosody, poetry) Stress laid on certain syllables of a verse.
  • (music) A regularly recurring stress upon the tone to mark the beginning, and, more feebly, the third part of the measure.
  • (music) A special emphasis of a tone, even in the weaker part of the measure.
  • (music) The rhythmical accent, which marks phrases and sections of a period.
  • (music) The expressive emphasis and shading of a passage.
  • (music) A mark used to represent specific stress on a note.
  • (mathematics) A mark placed at the right hand of a letter, and a little above it, to distinguish magnitudes of a similar kind expressed by the same letter, but differing in value, as y'', '''y .
  • (geometry) A mark at the right hand of a number, indicating minutes of a degree, seconds, etc., as in 12' 27'' , meaning twelve minutes and twenty-seven seconds.
  • (engineering) A mark used to denote feet and inches, as in 6' 10'' , meaning six feet ten inches.
  • Emphasis laid on a part of an artistic design or composition; an emphasized detail, in particular a detail in sharp contrast to its surroundings.
  • A very small gemstone set into a piece of jewellery.
  • A distinctive feature or quality.
  • (archaic) Utterance.
    • Derived terms
    * accent mark * acute accent * grave accent * primary accent * secondary accent * tonic accent

    See also

    * circumflex

    References

    * “ Accent, sb.'']” on pages 50–51 of § 1 (A) of volume I (A–B, ed. ?, 1888) of ''[[w:Oxford English Dictionary, A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles] (1st ed.) * “ accent, n.''” in the ''Oxford English Dictionary (2nd ed., 1989)

    Etymology 2

    From the (etyl) (m), from the (etyl) (m), from the (etyl) , from (m), whence the (etyl) noun (m).

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To express the accent of vocally; to utter with accent.
  • To mark emphatically; to emphasize; to accentuate; to make prominent.
  • To mark with written accents.

    • References

    * “ Accent, v.'']” on page 51/3 of § 1 (A) of volume I (A–B, ed. ?, 1888) of ''[[w:Oxford English Dictionary, A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles] (1st ed.) * “ accent, v.''” in the ''Oxford English Dictionary (2nd ed., 1989) ----

    absent

    English

    Alternative forms

    *

    Etymology 1

    * From (etyl) absent, (etyl) .

    Adjective

    (er)
  • (not comparable) Being away from a place; withdrawn from a place; not present; missing.
  • * 1623 , (William Shakespeare), All’s Well That Ends Well, II-iii
    • Expecting absent friends.
  • (not comparable) Not existing; lacking.
    • The part was rudimental or absent .
  • (sometimes, comparable) Inattentive to what is passing; absent-minded; preoccupied.
  • * 1746-1747 , Chesterfield, Letters to his Son
    • What is commonly called an absent man is commonly either a very weak or a very affected man.
    Antonyms
    * present
    Related terms
    * absence * absentee * absenteeism

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) Absentee; a person who is away on occasion.

    • Preposition

    (English prepositions)
  • (legal) In the absence of; without.
  • * 1919 , State vs. Britt, Supreme Court of Missouri, Division 2, in The Southwestern Reporter , page 427
    • If the accused refuse upon demand to pay money or deliver property (absent any excuse or excusing circumstance) which came into his hands as a bailee, such refusal might well constitute some evidence of conversion, with the requisite fraudulent intent required by the statute.
  • * 2011 , David Elstein, letter, London Review of Books , XXXIII.15:
    • the Princess Caroline case [...] established that – absent a measurable ‘public interest’ in publication – she was safe from being photographed while out shopping.

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) absenter, from .

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (transitive, now, reflexive) Keep away; stay away; go away.
  • *
    • Go; for thy stay, not free, absents thee more;
  • * 1701-1703 , , "Remarks on Italy"
    • If after due summons any member absents himself, he is to be fined.
  • *
    • This work was strictly voluntary, but any animal who absented himself from it would have his rations reduced by half.
  • (obsolete) Stay away; withdraw.
  • (rare) Leave.

    • Anagrams

    *

    References

    English heteronyms ----