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Gene93 Posted 11 years ago
Vocabulary
acquiesce and accede
Hello,
I realize that the two verbs have different meanings, but can't acquiesce be used instead of accede in this sentence: "It is doubtful whether the government will accede to their demands for independence."? If the government is not willing to grant these people independence, can we use acquiesce instead?
Thank you, I realize it is a rather strange question
. I hope no one minds.
I realize that the two verbs have different meanings, but can't acquiesce be used instead of accede in this sentence: "It is doubtful whether the government will accede to their demands for independence."? If the government is not willing to grant these people independence, can we use acquiesce instead?
Thank you, I realize it is a rather strange question
. I hope no one minds.Top answer
"Acquiesce" has the Latin root quiescere , to be quiet, so the word has the connotation of agreeing without dispute but also without conviction. Thus if the government won't acquiesce to a demand, it won''t agree to the demand by default and without comment. In other words, they'll tell the press they're turning the petitioners down.
- "Acquiesce" has the Latin root quiescere , to be quiet, so the word has the connotation of agreeing without dispute but also without conviction.
- Thus if the government won't acquiesce to a demand, it won''t agree to the demand by default and without comment.
- In other words, they'll tell the press they're turning the petitioners down.
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4 Answers
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"Acquiesce" has the Latin root quiescere, to be quiet, so the word has the connotation of agreeing without dispute but also without conviction. Thus if the government won't acquiesce to a demand, it won''t agree to the demand by default and without comment. In other words, they'll tell the press they're turning the petitioners down.
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Thank you, but don't they both mean the same thing? If they don't acquiesce to the demand, they won't agree to it. If they don't accede to it, they won't agree to it. Am I missing something?
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They're close in your example because both verbs mean they won't agree, and the result is the more important thing. The difference is in the manner of agreement, which is more apparent in the affirmative. Try this:
"The government won't acquiesce to the demand, but I wish they would."
This means that the government won't agree to the demand, but you wish they would jus
"The government won't acquiesce to the demand, but I wish they would."
This means that the government won't agree to the demand, but you wish they would jus
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