Other forms: accosted, accosts, accosting
To accost is to approach a stranger boldly and speak to them. Accosted in the street, accost passers-by, he accosted me.
It is nearly always unwelcome — being accosted is a complaint — and the boldness is the point. The Old French means to come alongside, from coste, a side, which is also behind coast. That nautical image is exactly right for the action.
1verbaccostTo approach a stranger boldly and speak to them.
“A stranger accosted me in the street and demanded money.”
accost is an approaching.
Old French acoster means to come alongside, from coste, a side or rib. Coast is the same word.
Old French
acoster — to stand beside
Middle French
accoster
English, today
accost
Built from
From Middle French accoster, acoster, from Old French acoster (“to stand beside”) (whence Medieval Latin accostare), from Old French a- + coste (“side, flank”).
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA