accroach, v.
(əˈkrəʊtʃ)
Also 4–6 acroche, accroche.
[a. OFr. acroche-r (later accrocher, see ac-) to hook in, draw with a hook; cf. acroc n.; f. à prep. to + croc crook, hook; an adoption of a word common to Scandinavian, German, and Celtic,—OIcel. krók-r, ODu. croke, Breton krôk, Welsh crwg, Gaelic croc-an. See crook.]
prop. To draw with a hook or grapple; hence,
1. To draw to oneself, catch, attract, acquire.
| c 1325 E.E. Allit. P. A. 1068 Þe mone may þer of acroche no myȝte To spotty. 1393 Gower Conf. II. 315 And fire, whan it to tow approcheth, To him anon the strength accrocheth Till with his hete it be devoured. Ibid. I. 314 The ship, which wend his helpe accroche, Draf all to pieces on the roche. c 1430 Lydg. Bochas iii. v. 73 a (1554) Ambitious t'accroche great richesse. 1530 Palsgr. 416 I acroche, as a man dothe that wynneth goodes or landes off another by sleyght, Jaccroche. |
2. With to oneself: To grasp or lay hold on what is not one's own; to usurp (authority or jurisdiction).
| 1520 Rastall, Stat. 25 Ed. III. viii. §3 For that the secular Justices doe accroche to them conisance of voidance of benefices or right. ― 25 Edw. III, 6 (anno 1350) The Bishop of Rome accroching to him the Seigniories of such possessions and Benefices, doth giue and graunt the same Benefices to Aliens. 1643 Prynne Sov. Power Parl. iii. 34 The said Sir Hughes had accroached to them the royall power in divers manner. 1750 Carte Hist. Eng. II. 595 Aiding and abetting the five appealed and attainted persons, in their accroaching to them the royal power. 1875 Stubbs Const. Hist. II. xvi. 374 They had attempted to accroach to themselves royal power. |
3. intr. To encroach. [See a- prefix 7.]
| 1530 Palsgr. 417 The mighty men accroche ever upon their poore neyghbours: les puissans accrochent tousjours sur leurs poures voysyns. |