First Known Use: 15th century
Dictionary
accrue
verb ac·crue \ə-ˈkrü\
: to increase in value or amount gradually as time passes : to grow or build up slowly
: to come to or be given to someone
ac·cruedac·cru·ing
Full Definition of ACCRUE
intransitive verb
1
: to come into existence as a legally enforceable claim
2
a : to come about as a natural growth, increase, or advantage <the wisdom that accrues with age> b : to come as a direct result of some state or action <rewards due to the feminine will accrue to me — Germaine Greer>
3
: to accumulate or be added periodically <interest accrues on a daily basis>
transitive verb
: to accumulate or have due after a period of time <accrue vacation time>
— ac·cru·able \-ˈkrü-ə-bəl\ adjective
— ac·crue·ment \-ˈkrü-mənt\ noun
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Origin of ACCRUE
Middle English acreuen, probably from Anglo-French *acrue increase, from acreistre to increase, from Latin accrescere, from ad- + crescere to grow — more at crescent
Rhymes with ACCRUE
achoo, adieu, ado, Agnew, aircrew, airscrew, anew, askew, babu, Baku, bamboo, battu, battue, bayou, bedew, beshrew, bestrew, bijou, boo-boo, boubou, brand-new, breakthrough, burgoo, cachou, can-do, canoe, caoutchouc, Carew, Cebu, Chonju, construe, Corfu, corkscrew, coypu, CQ, cuckoo, curfew, debut, Depew, doo-doo, ecu, endue, ensue, eschew, floor-through, fondue, fordo, Gansu, Gentoo, Gifu, goo-goo, GQ, ground crew, gumshoe, guru, hairdo, hereto, Hindu, home brew, Honshu, horseshoe, how-to, HQ, Hutu, igloo, imbrue, imbue, IQ, jackscrew, K2, Kansu, karoo, Karoo, kazoo, Khufu, kung fu, Kwangju, leadscrew, lean-to, long view, make-do, Matthew, me-too, mildew, milieu, miscue, misdo, muumuu, non-U, old-shoe, one-two, on view, outdo, perdu, Peru, poilu, prau, preview, pursue, purview, ragout, redo, renew, Renfrew, review, revue, rough-hew, run-through, sandshoe, Sardou, see-through, set-to, setscrew, shampoo, sinew, skiddoo, snafu, snowshoe, soft-shoe, span-new, subdue, surtout, taboo, Taegu, tattoo, thank-you, thereto, thumbscrew, to-do, too-too, tree shrew, undo, undue, unglue, unscrew, untrue, vatu, vendue, venue, virtu, voodoo, wahoo, walk-through, wherethrough, whereto, who's who, worldview, yahoo, yoo-hoo
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