Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • transitive verb To succeed in doing (a task, for example); carry out or complete. synonym: perform.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To complete; finish; reach the end of; bring to pass; actually do: as, he works hard, but accomplishes nothing.
  • To bring about by performance or realization; execute; carry out; fulfil: as, to accomplish a vow, promise, purpose, or prophecy.
  • Hence To gain; obtain as the result of exertion.
  • To make complete by furnishing what is wanting: as— To equip or provide with material things.
  • To equip or furnish mentally; fit by education or training.
  • Synonyms and Execute, Achieve, etc. (see perform), complete, finish, consummate, succeed in, work out, fulfil, realize, bring to pass, end.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb To complete, as time or distance.
  • transitive verb To bring to an issue of full success; to effect; to perform; to execute fully; to fulfill.
  • transitive verb To equip or furnish thoroughly; hence, to complete in acquirements; to render accomplished; to polish.
  • transitive verb obsolete To gain; to obtain.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb transitive To finish successfully.
  • verb transitive To complete, as time or distance.
  • verb transitive To bring to an issue of full success; to effect; to perform; to execute fully; to fulfill; as, to accomplish a design, an object, a promise.
  • verb transitive, archaic To equip or furnish thoroughly; hence, to complete in acquirements; to render accomplished; to polish.
  • verb transitive, obsolete To gain; to obtain. - Shakespeare

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb put in effect
  • verb to gain with effort

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English accomplisshen, from Old French acomplir, acompliss-, to complete : a-, to (from Latin ad-; see ad–) + complir, to complete (from Latin complēre, to fill out; see complete).]

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