The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Accessary \Ac*ces"sa*ry\ (277), n.; pl. Accessaries. [Cf.
Accessory and LL. accessarius.] (Law)
One who, not being present, contributes as an assistant or
instigator to the commission of an offense.
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Accessary before the fact (Law), one who commands or
counsels an offense, not being present at its commission.
Accessary after the fact, one who, after an offense,
assists or shelters the offender, not being present at the
commission of the offense.
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Note: This word, as used in law, is spelt accessory by
Blackstone and many others; but in this sense is spelt
accessary by Bouvier, Burrill, Burns, Whishaw, Dane,
and the Penny Cyclopedia; while in other senses it is
spelt accessory. In recent text-books on criminal law
the distinction is not preserved, the spelling being
either accessary or accessory.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Fact \Fact\ (f[a^]kt), n. [L. factum, fr. facere to make or do.
Cf. Feat, Affair, Benefit, Defect, Fashion, and
-fy.]
1. A doing, making, or preparing. [Obs.]
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A project for the fact and vending
Of a new kind of fucus, paint for ladies. --B.
Jonson.
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2. An effect produced or achieved; anything done or that
comes to pass; an act; an event; a circumstance.
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What might instigate him to this devilish fact, I am
not able to conjecture. --Evelyn.
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He who most excels in fact of arms. --Milton.
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3. Reality; actuality; truth; as, he, in fact, excelled all
the rest; the fact is, he was beaten.
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4. The assertion or statement of a thing done or existing;
sometimes, even when false, improperly put, by a transfer
of meaning, for the thing done, or supposed to be done; a
thing supposed or asserted to be done; as, history abounds
with false facts.
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I do not grant the fact. --De Foe.
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This reasoning is founded upon a fact which is not
true. --Roger Long.
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Note: The term fact has in jurisprudence peculiar uses in
contrast with law; as, attorney at law, and attorney in
fact; issue in law, and issue in fact. There is also a
grand distinction between law and fact with reference
to the province of the judge and that of the jury, the
latter generally determining the fact, the former the
law. --Burrill --Bouvier.
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Accessary before the fact, or Accessary after the fact.
See under Accessary.
Matter of fact, an actual occurrence; a verity; used
adjectively: of or pertaining to facts; prosaic;
unimaginative; as, a matter-of-fact narration.
Syn: Act; deed; performance; event; incident; occurrence;
circumstance.
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