What does accloy mean?
Accloy is a formal, now somewhat archaic verb meaning to fill someone with so much food, pleasure, or other experience that they feel surfeited or overloaded. It is transitive, and the usual past form is “accloyed.” The word has a distinctly literary tone and is more likely to appear in historical narrative, poetry, or elevated prose than in everyday conversation. Its sense is close to “satiate,” but it carries a stronger suggestion of excess: abundance itself becomes oppressive. The same figurative idea applies when excessive luxury or sensation dulls appreciation. Although modern dictionaries tend to label the word archaic, it remains useful in careful writing because it compresses the notions of glutting, filling, and wearying with excess into one precise, unusual verb. It also preserves a trace of its older history: the idea of making something full or closed up, which developed into the modern sense of overloading someone with experience.
verbTo fill or overload someone, especially with food or pleasure, so that the affected person feels surfeited. It can also refer to filling or wearying the palate, senses, or emotions beyond the point of enjoyment.
- To fill or overload a person, palate, sense, or emotion with food, pleasure, or another experience, producing a feeling of surfeit.
"Years of flattery accloyed him with praise."
"The cook's richest dishes could easily accloy the palate."
"Years of flattery accloyed him with praise."
The word began as a medieval French idea of closing or filling something up; centuries later, it survives by warning that too much pleasure can become an irritant.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does accloy come from?
Accloy entered Middle English from Old French acolloier, a medieval French verb meaning to fill, overload, or satiate. Its form reflects Latin ad- and collare, associated with closing or fastening, while English developed the figurative sense of filling someone beyond the point of appetite or pleasure. Related French–Latin vocabulary includes collar and collet, both associated with Latin collum, “neck.”
Related word forms
How accloy is actually used
Chiefly literary and archaic, and uncommon in contemporary speech. It normally implies that continued indulgence has dulled appetite or appreciation rather than merely describing an adequate amount.
Easily confused with accloy
Accloy means to overload or satiate someone, whereas cloy usually means to make food or an experience taste overly rich or unpleasant through excess.