accompanyv.

Etymology: < Anglo-Norman acumpainer, acompangnier, Anglo-Norman and Middle French acompaigner, acompaignier, Middle French accompagner, accompaigner, acompaingnier, acompengnier (French accompagner ) to go with (a person) as a companion, escort, or attendant (c1165 in Old French), to associate or keep company with (a person) (12th cent., used reflexively), to add or join (a thing or person) with (another) (end of the 12th cent.), to congregate, gather, assemble (mid 13th cent., used reflexively), (euphemistically) to engage in sexual activity with (a woman) (end of the 13th cent.), (of a thing) to go with or alongside (another thing) (first half of the 14th cent.), to support or partner (a singer, player, melody, etc.) by singing or playing an additional part or parts (15th cent.) < a- (see ad- prefix) + compagne companion n.¹ Compare Old Occitan acompanhar , Catalan accompanyar (14th cent.), Spanish acompañar (first half of the 13th cent. as †aconpañar , †acompannar ), Portuguese acompanhar (13th cent.), Italian accompagnare (beginning of the 13th cent. as †acompagnar ). Compare earlier company v.In sense 4 after Spanish acompañar (a1502 in this sense, in the passage translated in quot. 1631; obsolete in this sense after the early 17th cent.).