accidence

Noun

accidence (countable and uncountable, plural accidences)

1. The inflection of words.
   • To teach Schollars how to bee able to reade well, and write true Orthography, in a short space. 2. To make them ready in all points of Accedence and Grammar, to answere any necessary question therein.1627, John Brinsley, Ludus Literarius; or, The Grammar Schoole, London: John Bellamie, page xiii
   • 1669, John Milton, Accedence Commenc’t Grammar (title of a Latin grammar)
2. The rudiments of any subject.
   • When Franklin, playing with his kite in a thunderstorm, brought down sparks from the heavens, he was learning the accidence of that science of Electricity which has given us the Telegraph and Telephone […]1904, Edwin Sidney Hartland, Popular Studies in Mythology, Romance and Folklore, London: David Nutt, page 67
3. A book containing the first principles of grammar; (by extension) a book containing the rudiments of any subject or art.
   • And forsomuch as this treateth of blazon of Armes, and of the worthie bearers of them […] I therefore, have named this, the Accedence of Armorie […]1562, Gerard Legh, The Accedence of Armorie, published 1597, Preface
   • Sir Hugh, my husband says my son profits nothing in the world at his book. I pray you, ask him some questions in his accidence.c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merry Wiues of Windsor”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward]...