accrue

Etymology

• First attested in mid 15th century.
• From Middle English acrewen, borrowed from Old French acreüe, past participle of accreistre (“to increase”), from Latin accrēsco (“increase”), from ad (“in addition”) + crēscō (“to grow”).
• Compare accretion, accresce, accrete, crew, crescent.

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /əˈkɹuː/, /ə.ˈkɹu/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

  Rhymes: -uː

Verb

accrue (third-person singular simple present accrues, present participle accruing, simple past and past participle accrued)

1. (intransitive) To increase, to augment; to come to by way of increase; to arise or spring as a growth or result; to be added as increase, profit, or damage, especially as the produce of money lent.
   • 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene

     And though pow'r fail'd, her Courage did accrue

   • Interest accrues to principal - Abbott
   • The great and essential advantages accruing to society from the freedom of the press - Junius
2. (intransitive, accounting) To be incurred as a result of the passage of time.

   The monthly financial statements show all the actual but only some of the accrued expenses.

3. (intransitive, law) To become an enforceable and permanent right.

Noun

accrue (plural accrues)

1. (obsolete) Something that accrues; advantage accruing

Noun

accrue f (plural accrues)

1. dry land created by draining

Verb

accrue

1. feminine singular of the past participle of accroître