accentuate

/əkˈsɛn.t͡ʃu.eɪt/

UK: /ækˈsɛn.t͡ʃuˌeɪt/

ƏKSƐN · t͡ʃu · eɪt (3 syllables)

English Verb Top 43,673
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Definition

To pronounce with an accent or vocal stress.

Etymology

First attested in 1731; borrowed from Medieval Latin accentuātus, perfect passive participle of accentuō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from Latin accentus.

Example Sentences

  • "our danger and insolation only accentuated the incompatibility"
  • "These were business hours, and a feeling of loneliness crept over him, perhaps germinated by his sight of the illustrated papers, and accentuated by an attempted perusal of them."
  • "Attempts by Waterloo signalmen to clear the points by power operation eventually exhausted point motor batteries, which are fed by trickle chargers, and a blown fuse accentuated the problem; thus, even when the points had been cleared of ice, no power was available to operate them until the batteries were sufficiently recharged."
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