accost

/əˈkɔst/

/əˈkɒst/

Other forms: accosted; accosting; accosts

To accost is to approach someone aggressively or confront them in an inappropriate way.

Accost describes a confrontation — one that's often aggressive in nature. You're likely to be accosted by angry picketers if you wear your finest fur coat to a march against animal cruelty. The paparazzi make their living by accosting celebrities, pushing in close to snap candid photos as the stars leave their limos.

Definitions of accost

1. verb

   speak to someone
   synonyms: address, come up to

   types:

   greet, recognise, recognize

   express greetings upon meeting someone

   approach

   make advances to someone, usually with a proposal or suggestion

   hit

   pay unsolicited and usually unwanted sexual attention to

   shake hands

   take someone's hands and shake them as a gesture of greeting or congratulation

   bob, curtsy

   make a curtsy; usually done only by girls and women; as a sign of respect

   salute

   greet in a friendly way

   present, salute

   recognize with a gesture prescribed by a military regulation; assume a prescribed position

   salute

   honor with a military ceremony, as when honoring dead soldiers

   hail, herald

   greet enthusiastically or joyfully

   receive, welcome

   bid welcome to; greet upon arrival

   say farewell

   say good-bye or bid farewell

   bid, wish

   invoke upon

   type of:

   come, come up

   move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody