First attested about 1380. From Middle English accepten, borrowed from Old French accepter, or directly from Latin accepto, frequentative of accipiō, formed from ad- + capiō ("to take").

• (RP) IPA: /əkˈsɛpt/, /ækˈsɛpt/
• (America) IPA: /əkˈsɛpt/, /ɪkˈsɛpt/
• (HK) IPA: /əˈsɛp(t)/

accept (accepts, present participle accepting; simple past and past participle accepted)

1. (transitive) To receive, especially with a consent, with favour, or with approval.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC ↗, Psalms 20:3 ↗:

     Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice.

   • 1842, [Edward Bulwer-Lytton], chapter III, in Zanoni. […], volume I, London: Saunders & Otley, […], →OCLC ↗, book the second (Art, Love, and Wonder), page 151 ↗:

     I bid thee banish from thy heart all thought of me, but as one whom the Future cries aloud to thee to avoid. Glyndon, if thou acceptest his homage, will love thee till the tomb closes upon both.

2. (transitive) To admit to a place or a group.

   The Boy Scouts were going to accept him as a member.

3. (transitive) To regard as proper, usual, true, or to believe in.

   I accept the notion that Christ lived.

4. (transitive) To receive as adequate or satisfactory.
5. (transitive) To receive or admit to; to agree to; to assent to; to submit to.

   I accept your proposal, amendment, or excuse.

6. (transitive) To endure patiently.

   I accept my punishment.

7. (transitive) To acknowledge patiently without opposition or resistance.

   We need to accept the fact that restaurants are closed due to COVID-19 and that no amount of wishing or screaming will make them reopen any sooner.

8. (transitive, legal, business) To agree to pay.
9. (transitive) To receive officially.

   to accept the report of a committee

10. (intransitive) To receive something willingly.
11. (Philippines) To do a service done by an establishment.

    We accept repairs.

    We accept bookbinding.

• (antonym(s) of “receive with approval”): reject, decline

• acceptability
• acceptable
• acceptableness
• acceptably

• acceptance
• acceptancy
• acceptant
• acceptation
• acceptilation
• acception
• acceptor

• French: accepter
• German: annehmen, abnehmen, akzeptieren
• Italian: accettare
• Portuguese: aceitar
• Russian: принима́ть
• Spanish: aceptar

• German: aufnehmen, akzeptieren, zulassen, einlassen
• Portuguese: aceitar

• German: akzeptieren, annehmen
• Portuguese: aceitar

• German: annehmen, akzeptieren

• French: accepter (de)
• German: akzeptieren, annehmen, zusagen, zustimmen
• Italian: accettare, ammettere
• Portuguese: aceitar
• Russian: принима́ть
• Spanish: aceptar

• French: prendre sur soi, endurer patiemment
• German: hinnehmen, auf sich nehmen, in Kauf nehmen, ertragen
• Italian: accettare
• Portuguese: aceitar
• Russian: принима́ть

• French: accepter de payer
• German: kaufen, akzeptieren, annehmen
• Italian: accettare
• Portuguese: aceitar

• French: accueillir
• German: annehmen, empfangen, entgegennehmen
• Italian: accettare
• Portuguese: aceitar
• Russian: принима́ть
• Spanish: aceptar

• German: akzeptieren

accept

1. (EME, obsolete) Accepted.