Noun

Singular access

Plural countable and uncountable; plural accesses

access (countable and uncountable; plural accesses)

1. (uncountable) A way or means of approaching or entering; an entrance; a passage.
   • All access was thronged. - Milton
2. (uncountable) The act of approaching or entering; an advance.
3. (uncountable) The right or ability of approaching or entering; admittance; admission; accessibility.
   • I did repel his fetters, and denied His access to me. - Shakespeare, Hamlet, II-i
4. (uncountable) Admission to sexual intercourse.
   • During coverture, access of the husband shall be presumed, unless the contrary be shown. - Blackstone
5. (countable) An increase by addition; accession; as, an access of territory.
   • I, from the influence of thy looks, receive access in every virtue. - Milton
6. (countable) An onset, attack, or fit of disease; an ague fit.
   • The first access looked like an apoplexy. - Burnet
7. (countable) An outburst of an emotion; a paroxysm; a fit of passion; as, an access of fury.
   • 1946: Arnold J. Toynbee, A Study of History (Abridgement of Volumes I-VI by D.C. Somervell)

     It appears that, about the middle of the fourth century of the Christian Era, the Germans in the Roman service started the new practice of retaining their native names; and this change of etiquette, which seems to have been abrupt, points to a sudden access of self-confidence and self-assurance in the souls of the barbarian personnel which had previously been content to 'go Roman' without reservations.

8. (uncountable) (law) The right of a non-custodial parent to visit their child.
9. (uncountable) (computing) The process of locating data in memory.
10. (uncountable) (Internet) Connection to or communication with a computer program or to the Internet.

Derived terms

• direct access
• random access
• remote access

Related terms

• accessary
• accessible
• accessibility
• accessibly
• accession
• accessory

Companies and organizations

• ACCESS (Australia), an Australian youth network
• Access Co., a software company
• Access Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a pharmaceutical company in the US
• AirCraft Casualty Emotional Support Services
• Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services
• Access Software, the original name of Indie Built Inc.

Computer software

• Microsoft Access, a database program which is part of the Microsoft office suite.
• The ability to read or write data governed by file system permissions
• Access Linux Platform, an operating system for mobile devices

Space and technology

• Access (telecommunications), the process of signing onto a network
• Access 5, a NASA program
• EASE/ACCESS, a pair of space shuttle flight experiments