access
access
Pronunciation
The word "access" can be a bit tricky because its pronunciation can vary slightly depending on whether it's used as a noun or a verb, and regional accents. However, the most common and standard IPA phonetic spelling for "access" is:
/ˈæk.sɛs/
Here's the breakdown of the sounds for each syllable:
First Syllable: /æk/
/æ/: As in "cat" or "trap." This is the "a" sound.
/k/: As in "cat" or "kite." This is the "c" sound.
Second Syllable: /sɛs/
/s/: As in "snake" or "hiss." This is the "c" sound.
/ɛ/: As in "bed" or "red." This is the "e" sound.
/s/: As in "snake" or "hiss." This is the "s" sound.
Note: Sometimes, especially when used as a verb, the second /s/ can be slightly voiced, sounding more like a /z/ in some dialects (e.g., /ˈæk.sɛz/). However, /ˈæk.sɛs/ is the more common and generally accepted pronunciation for both noun and verb forms.
Word Form Variations
Noun (singular): access
Noun (plural): access (The noun "access" is typically used as an uncountable noun, so the plural form is the same as the singular. You wouldn't say "many accesses" in the same way you'd say "many doors.")
Verb (base form): access
Verb (third-person singular present): accesses
Verb (present participle): accessing
Verb (past tense): accessed
Verb (past participle): accessed
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition 1: The ability, right, or opportunity to approach or enter a place, or to use something.
Synonyms: entry, admission, passage, ingress, availability, entitlement
Antonyms: exclusion, denial, restriction, hindrance, blockage
Definition 2: The means or way of approaching or entering a place.
Synonyms: approach, entrance, pathway, route, channel, avenue
Antonyms: barrier, impediment, obstruction, wall
Definition 3 (Computing): The process or act of retrieving or storing information from a computer system or data storage.
Synonyms: retrieval, obtainment, gain, acquisition
Antonyms: storage (in the context of active data use), write-protection, lockdown
Verb
Definition 1: To obtain or retrieve information, especially from a computer or data source.
Synonyms: retrieve, obtain, gain, get, open, load
Antonyms: store, save, write, input (in the sense of putting in rather than taking out)
Definition 2: To be able to reach, enter, or make use of something.
Synonyms: reach, enter, use, utilize, gain entry to, approach
Antonyms: avoid, bypass, forgo, relinquish, deny, bar
Examples of Use
Books: "The character in the novel struggled to access his suppressed memories, a key to solving the mystery."
Newspapers: "Residents demand better access to clean water after recent infrastructure failures." ( The Daily Nation, June 2024)
Online Publications: "New digital tools provide unprecedented access to historical archives for researchers worldwide." (Smithsonian Magazine, May 2024)
Online Publications: "Companies are debating whether to limit employee access to certain AI tools." (TechCrunch, July 2024)
Film/Television: "The heist crew needed a keycard to access the vault." (Dialogue from a crime thriller)
Video Games: "You must complete this side quest to access the next level." (In-game instruction)
Music/Streaming Platforms: "Subscribers can access a vast library of music and podcasts on this platform."
Social Media: "Many users are concerned about privacy issues related to third-party apps accessing their personal data."
General Public Discourse: "We need to ensure that all students have equal access to quality education, regardless of their background."
General Public Discourse: "The politician emphasized the importance of access to affordable healthcare for all citizens."
10 Famous Quotes Using Access
"The Internet gave us access to everything; but it also gave everything access to us." (James Veitch)
"Every single one of us deserves access to quality, affordable health care." (Sara Gideon)
"We had access to too much money, too much equipment, and little by little, we went insane." (Francis Ford Coppola)
"Mere access to the courthouse doors does not by itself assure a proper functioning of the adversary process." (Thurgood Marshall)
"If we don't have access to facts, we can't trust each other. Without trust, there's no law. Without law, there's no democracy." (Timothy D. Snyder)
"Imagine a world in which every single person on the planet is given free access to the sum of all human knowledge. That's what we're doing." (Jimmy Wales)
"I'm opposed to any policy that would deny in our country any human being from access to public safety, public education, or public health, period." (Kamala Harris)
"Inner city education must change. Our responsibility is not merely to provide access to knowledge; we must produce educated people." (James L. Farmer, Jr.)
"It is not beyond our power to create a world in which all children have access to a good education." (Nelson Mandela)
"In my travels all over the world, I have come to realize that what distinguishes one child from another is not ability, but access. Access to education, access to opportunity, access to love." (Lauryn Hill)
Etymology
Let's break down the history of the word "access" in simple terms.
"Access" comes from the Latin word "accessus", which literally means "a coming to," "an approach," or "an arrival." This Latin word itself is built from two parts:
"ad-": This is a Latin prefix meaning "to" or "toward." Think of words like "advance" (move toward) or "adapt" (adjust to).
"cedere": This is a Latin verb meaning "to go" or "to yield." We see this root in words like "concede" (yield to) or "recede" (go back).
So, if you put "ad-" and "cedere" together, "accessus" really means "the act of going toward" or "a way of approaching."
When "access" first made its way into English, around the late 14th century, it was used as a noun. Its earliest known meaning was very close to its Latin root: "a way or means of approach or entrance." Imagine a path leading to a castle – that path would be the "access." It also carried the sense of "permission or the right to approach or enter."
Over time, the meaning expanded, especially as technology developed. In the 20th century, with the rise of computers, "access" also became commonly used as a verb, meaning "to gain entry to or retrieve (information, files, etc.) from a computer system." But even this modern usage still holds the core idea of "going toward" or "reaching" something.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Access
Gain access: To obtain the ability or right to enter or use something.
Have access to: To possess the ability or right to use or reach something.
Deny access: To refuse permission for someone to enter or use something.
Restricted access: Entry or use that is limited to certain people or under specific conditions.
Easy access: Simple and convenient entry or availability.
Limited access: The availability or entry is confined or not extensive.
Direct access: Immediate and unmediated entry or connection.
Grant access: To give permission for someone to enter or use something.
Full access: Complete and unrestricted entry or use.
Public access: Available for use by everyone.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of access from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
