Accessary \Ac*ces"sa*ry\ (277), n.; pl. Accessaries. [Cf.
   Accessory and LL. accessarius.] (Law)
   One who, not being present, contributes as an assistant or
   instigator to the commission of an offense.
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   Accessary before the fact (Law), one who commands or
      counsels an offense, not being present at its commission.
      

   Accessary after the fact, one who, after an offense,
      assists or shelters the offender, not being present at the
      commission of the offense.
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   Note: This word, as used in law, is spelt accessory by
         Blackstone and many others; but in this sense is spelt
         accessary by Bouvier, Burrill, Burns, Whishaw, Dane,
         and the Penny Cyclopedia; while in other senses it is
         spelt accessory. In recent text-books on criminal law
         the distinction is not preserved, the spelling being
         either accessary or accessory.
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Fact \Fact\ (f[a^]kt), n. [L. factum, fr. facere to make or do.
   Cf. Feat, Affair, Benefit, Defect, Fashion, and
   -fy.]
   1. A doing, making, or preparing. [Obs.]
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            A project for the fact and vending
            Of a new kind of fucus, paint for ladies. --B.
                                                  Jonson.
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   2. An effect produced or achieved; anything done or that
      comes to pass; an act; an event; a circumstance.
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            What might instigate him to this devilish fact, I am
            not able to conjecture.               --Evelyn.
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            He who most excels in fact of arms.   --Milton.
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   3. Reality; actuality; truth; as, he, in fact, excelled all
      the rest; the fact is, he was beaten.
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   4. The assertion or statement of a thing done or existing;
      sometimes, even when false, improperly put, by a transfer
      of meaning, for the thing done, or supposed to be done; a
      thing supposed or asserted to be done; as, history abounds
      with false facts.
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            I do not grant the fact.              --De Foe.
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            This reasoning is founded upon a fact which is not
            true.                                 --Roger Long.
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   Note: The term fact has in jurisprudence peculiar uses in
         contrast with law; as, attorney at law, and attorney in
         fact; issue in law, and issue in fact. There is also a
         grand distinction between law and fact with reference
         to the province of the judge and that of the jury, the
         latter generally determining the fact, the former the
         law. --Burrill --Bouvier.
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   Accessary before the fact, or Accessary after the fact.
      See under Accessary.

   Matter of fact, an actual occurrence; a verity; used
      adjectively: of or pertaining to facts; prosaic;
      unimaginative; as, a matter-of-fact narration.

   Syn: Act; deed; performance; event; incident; occurrence;
        circumstance.
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