ACCUSATIVE, in Grammar, the fourth Case of Nouns that are declined. See CASE, and NOUN.
Its Use may be conceived from this, That all Verbs which express Actions that pass from the Agent, as, to beat, to break, &c., must have Subjects to receive those Actions: for, if I beat, I must beat something; so that a Verb evidently requires after it a Noun, or Name, to be the Subject or Object of the Action expressed. See VERB.
Hence, in all Languages which have Cases, the Nouns have a Termination which they call Accusative; as, amo Deum, I love God; Caesar vicit Pompeium, Caesar overcame Pompey.
In English, we have nothing to distinguish this Case from the Nominative, but as we ordinarily place Words in their natural Order, it is easily discovered, the Nominative constantly preceding, and the Accusative following the Verb. —Thus, when we say, the Prince loves the Princess, and the Princess loves the Prince: The Prince is the Nominative in the first, and the Accusative in the last; and the Princess the Accusative in the first, and the Nominative in the second. See NOMINATIVE.
