acceptionrare.|ækˈsɛpʃən|[ad.L. acceptiōn-em,n.of actionf.accept-ppl.stem of accipĕre; see accept. Used by Wyclif to translate theVulg.acceptio persōnārum (Rom.ii. 11, etc.) acception of persons, a phrase occurring hundreds of times down to 1700, when it was supplanted by accepting, acceptance. In the general sense of acceptance=reception, the word is rather rare; but in that of acceptation=signification, in regular use from 6 till the beginning of 8.Cf.Fr.acception, which has likewise yielded to acceptation in the general sense, but still remains in senses 2 and 3, acception de personne, acception d'un mot.]1.The act of accepting; the receiving or taking of anything presented; acceptance, reception.1483CaxtonGold.Leg.427/1To euerichone[he]rendryd his owne by right withoute ony accepcion or takyng of money.1578LyteNiewe HerballPref.2Most humbly craving a favourable acception hereof.1624J. SmithVirginia v. 194Acknowledgement and acception of all resident Gouernours.1662H. StubbeIndian Nectar i. 5The universal acception of this drink amongst the most sober.1921Glasgow Herald 7 Apr. 6/3Acception of the Premier's proposal followed by its rejection.2.acception of persons or faces.[A Hebrew phrase massō phānīm, ‘accepting of the face,’ verbally rendered inGr.προσωποληψία, L. acceptio persōnæ, -ārum, the latter simply adapted inFr.andEng.]The receiving of the personal advances of any one with favour; hence, corrupt acceptance, or favouritism, due to a person's rank, relationship, influence, power to bribe, etc. See accept 2. (The earliest sense inEng.)1382WyclifRom.ii. 11For accepciouns of persoones, that is, to putte oon bifore another withoute desert, is not anentis God.[Tindale parcialyte, Cranmer and 1611 respect, Rheims acception.]1494Fabyan vi. clxi. 154He shuld purpose the sothe & trowthe withoute accepcion of parsonys, and ponysshe mysdoers, as well the ryche as the poore.1677GaleCrt.of Gentiles II. iv. 372Acception of persons has place only where..any favors one more than another.3.The accepted or received meaning or signification of a word or phrase;=acceptation 4.1543Necessary Doctrine B,Faythe in the fyrst acception, is consydered as it is a seuerall gifte of God by it selfe.1612T. TaylorTitus i. 7. (1619) 121The Apostle's argument and context can admit no other acception.1651BaxterInf. Bapt. 186That is the common acception, in six hundred places it is so taken.1711J. GreenwoodEng.Gram.86This Acception of the term.1850E. W. GrinfieldApol.Septuag. 179To use Greek words, in such peculiar acceptions.1937Nature 20 Nov. 866/2These initial restrictions on the meaning and acception of experience.¶acception is frequently found for exception, with which it was phonetically confounded.