Accent

(ak's ent.) [From Lat. ad, to, and cantus, a tone.] (Gram.) A particular stre or force of voice upon certain syllables of words, which distinguishes them from the others; also, the mark, figured thus ('), used in writing to direct the stre of the voice in pronunciation. For the Rhetorical A., see EMPHASIS.-(Math.) Accents are used to denote a difference of quantities or magnitudes represented by the same letter Thus, one velocity being represented by V, another may be indicated by V', another by V", . - (Mus.) A stre , or forced expre ion, which is laid on certain parts of a bar or measure, and is intended to indicate the pa ions, either naturally by the voice, or artificially by instruments. Every bar or measure is divided into the accented or unaccented parts; the former being those on which the spirit of the music depends. [s. 5]