Contents
English
Etymology
Compare French accidentel, earlier accidental.
Pronunciation
Adjective
accidental (comparative more accidental, superlative most accidental)
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Positive accidental |
Comparative more accidental |
Superlative most accidental |
- Happening by chance, or unexpectedly; taking place not according to the usual course of things; casual; fortuitous
- an accidental visit
- Nonessential; not necessary belonging; incidental
- are accidental to a play
- (music) Foreign to the key signature or a proper harmony.
- unintentional; by accident
Usage notes
- We speak of a thing as accidental when it falls out as by chance, and not in the regular course of things; as, an accidental meeting, an accidental advantage, etc.
- We call a thing incidental when it falls, as it were, into some regular course of things, but is secondary, and forms no essential part thereof; as, an incidental remark, an incidental evil, an incidental benefit.
- We speak of a thing as casual, when it falls out or happens, as it were, by mere chance, without being prearranged or premeditated; as, a casual remark or encounter; a casual observer. An idea of the unimportant is attached to what is casual.
- Fortuitous is applied to what occurs without any known cause, and in opposition to what has been foreseen; as, a fortuitous concourse of atoms.
- We call a thing contingent when it is such that, considered in itself, it may or may not happen, but is dependent for its existence on something else; as, the time of my coming will be contingent on intelligence yet to be received.
Synonyms
Derived terms
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- accidental chords
- accidental colors
- accidental point
- accidental lights
Noun
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Singular accidental |
Plural accidentals |
accidental (plural accidentals)
- A property which is not essential; a nonessential; anything happening accidentally.
- Fuller — He conceived it just that accidentals ... should sink with the substance of the accusation.
- (in plural, painting) Those fortuitous effects produced by luminous rays falling on certain objects so that some parts stand forth in abnormal brightness and other parts are cast into a deep shadow.
- (music) A sharp, flat, or natural, occurring not at the commencement of a piece of music as the signature, but before a particular note.
Translations
a property which is not essential
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Spanish
Adjective
accidental m. and f. (plural accidentales)
- accidental
Noun
accidental m. (plural accidentales)
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Singular accidental m. |
Plural accidentales m. |
- (music) accidental
Synonyms
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WMUR
east kingston, NH -- An East Kingston man is in critical condition after he apparently shot himself accidentally , police said. Police said they believe ...
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