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Accustom vs Alter - What's the difference?

accustom | alter | Related terms |

In transitive terms the difference between accustom and alter

is that accustom is to make familiar by use; to cause to accept; to habituate, familiarize, or inure; -- with to while alter is to castrate, neuter or spay (a dog or other animal).

As a noun accustom

is custom.

accustom

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • (lb) To make familiar by use; to cause to accept; to habituate, familiarize, or inure; -- with to .
  • *ca. 1753 , (John Hawkesworth) et al., Adventurer
  • *:I shall always fear that he who accustoms himself to fraud in little things, wants only opportunity to practice it in greater.
  • *
  • *:“[…] it is not fair of you to bring against mankind double weapons ! Dangerous enough you are as woman alone, without bringing to your aid those gifts of mind suited to problems which men have been accustomed to arrogate to themselves.”
  • To be wont.
  • :(Carew)
  • To cohabit.
  • *(John Milton) (1608-1674)
  • *:We with the best men accustom openly; you with the basest commit private adulteries.
  • Synonyms

    * habituate, get used to, inure, exercise, train

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) Custom.
  • References

    *

    alter

    English

    Alternative forms

    * altre (obsolete)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To change the form or structure of.
  • * Bible, Psalms lxxxix. 34
  • My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.
  • * Shakespeare
  • No power in Venice can alter a decree.
  • * Alexander Pope
  • It gilds all objects, but it alters none.
  • To become different.
  • To tailor clothes to make them fit.
  • To castrate, neuter or spay (a dog or other animal).
  • (obsolete) To agitate; to affect mentally.
  • (Milton)

    Derived terms

    * alterer * alterability * alterative * alterable * alterably

    Anagrams

    * * * * * ----