I.a going or coming to or near, an approaching, approach (syn. aditus; opp. recessus, discessus).
I. Lit.: “accessus nocturnus ad urbem,” Cic. Mil. 19: “(bestiarum) ad res salutares (opp. recessus),” id. N. D. 2, 12 fin.: “accessus prohibet refugitque viriles,” Ov. M. 14, 636: “solisaccessus discessusque,” Cic. N. D. 2, 7; “of the tide,” id. Div. 2, 14 fin.; “of a disease,” Gell. 4, 2; “of soldiers: difficilis,” Caes. B. Afr. 5: maritimus, from the sea: “pedestris,” on the land side, id. B. Alex. 26: “loci,” to a place, id. B. Hisp. 38.—
B. Transf.
1. Poet. of permission to approach, access, admittance (cf. aditus): “dare accessum alicui,” Ov. Pont. 2, 2, 41: “negare,” id. Her. 10, 64.—
2. The place by which one approaches, a passage, an entrance (in sing. and plur.), Verg. A. 8, 229; Suet. Caes. 58; Flor. 2, 12, 5; “for ships,” Liv. 29, 27, 9.—
II. Fig.
A. An approaching, approach: “ita pedetemptim cum accessus a se ad causam facti, tum recessus,” an approach to the matter, Cic. Fam. 9, 14, 7.—
B. An accession, increase: accessu istius splendoris, Cod. Th. 6, 35, 7.