01 n. Literally, a befalling; an event that takes place without one's foresight or expectation; an undesigned, sudden, and unexpected event; chan…
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1.
Literally, a befalling; an event that takes place without one's foresight or expectation; an undesigned, sudden, and unexpected event; chance; contingency; often, an undesigned and unforeseen occurrence of an afflictive or unfortunate character; a casualty; a mishap; as, to die by an accident.“Of moving accidents by flood and field.” — Shak.“Thou cam'st not to thy place by accident: It is the very place God meant for thee.” — Trench.
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2.
A property attached to a word, but not essential to it, as gender, number, case.(Gram.)
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3.
A point or mark which may be retained or omitted in a coat of arms.(Her.)
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4.
A property or quality of a thing which is not essential to it, as whiteness in paper; an attribute.(Log.)
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5.
Any accidental property, fact, or relation; an accidental or nonessential; as, beauty is an accident.“This accident, as I call it, of Athens being situated some miles from the sea.” — J. P. Mahaffy.
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6.
Unusual appearance or effect.[Obs.]