▪ I. † accrease, v. Obs.
(əˈkriːs)
Also 5 acrese, 6–7 accress(e, 6 accreace.
[a. OFr. accreistre, accreiss-ant:—L. accrēsc-ĕre, f. ac- = ad- to + crēsc-ĕre to grow. See also accresce, later, f. L. In sense 2, probably for earlier encrese, increase; see a- prefix 10.]
† 1. intr. To increase or grow by addition. Obs.
| 1535 W. Stewart Cron. Scotl. II. 529 Malice and invy, With greit fervour accressand to sic feid. 1598 Florio, Accrescere, to increase, to accrease, to add vnto, to augment, to growe, to multiplie, to spring, to accrew, to eeke. 1635 D. Person Varieties i. §6. 24 Such as aske, why the sea doth never debord nor accreace a whit, notwithstanding that all other waters doe degorge themselves into her bosome. |
2. trans. To increase. Obs.
| 1401 Pol. Poems II. 105 (1859) Mo fyngris on myn hond than foure and the thombe amenusith my worching more than it acresith. |
▪ II. † aˈccrease, n. Obs.
[f. the vb.]
Increase.
| 1598 Florio, Accrescimento, Encrease, accrease, profit, advancement, accrew, eeking. 1603 ― Montaigne (1634) 93 The friendship I beare unto my selfe, admits no accrease, by any succour I give my selfe in any time of need. Ibid. (1632) i. xix. 34 For then we shall have worke sufficient, without any more accrease. |