according to

Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Legal, Idioms.

according to

prep.

1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians.

2. In keeping with: according to instructions.

3. As determined by: a list arranged according to the alphabet.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

accord′ing to`

prep.

1. in agreement or accord with: according to his judgment.

2. consistent with; contingent on or in proportion to: to be charged according to one's ability to pay.

3. on the authority of; as stated or reported by: According to her, they have gone.

[1350–1400]

according to

1. 'according to'

You can use according to when you want to report what someone said.

According to Dr Santos, the cause of death was drowning.

You can also use according to when you want to report information given in a book or a document.

The road was forty miles long, according to my map.

In conversation, instead of saying 'According to George, the roads are very slippery this morning', you often say 'George says the roads are very slippery this morning'.

Arnold says they do this in Essex as well.

Car sales have fallen this year, the report says.

2. 'in my opinion'

If you want to emphasize that what you are saying is your own opinion, you say 'In my opinion...' or 'In our opinion...'.

In my opinion we face a national emergency.

The temple gets crowded, and in our opinion it's best to visit it in the evening.

Be Careful!
Don't say 'according to me' or 'according to us'.

Be Careful!
Don't use according to and opinion together. Don't say, for example, 'According to the bishop's opinion, the public has a right to know'. You say 'The bishop's opinion is that the public has a right to know'.

The psychiatrist's opinion was that John was suffering from depression.

Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012

Translations

بِحَسْبِ، بِمُوجَبِ، بِنَاءً عَلَىحَسَبحَسَب تَرْتِيبحسب لحَسَب، بِنَاءً عَلَى

podlev souladu s

ifølgei henhold tili overensstemmelse med

gemäß laut nach zufolge

σύμφωνα με

según conforme por

jnkn mukaanjonkin mukaan

selon titre conformément àd’après

premapremda

sorrendjébenszerint

í hlutfalli viî, í samræmi viîsamkvæmt

secondo come conforme a

･･･に従って･･･に沿って

...에 따라~에 따라

volgens

etter i henhold til

według zgodnie z

de acordo com segundo

в соответствии с согласно

enligt

ตามตามที่

…- e uygun olarak…-e göregöreuygun olarak

theo như

按照根据根据...所说按...顺序

according to

prep (= as stated or shown by) → zufolge (+dat), → nach; person, book, letter also → laut; (= in agreement with, in proportion to) → entsprechend (+dat), → nach; according to the map → der Karte nach or zufolge; according to Peter → laut Peter, Peter zufolge; we did it according to the rules → wir haben uns an die Regeln gehalten

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

accord

(əˈkoːd) verb

1. (with with) to agree with. His story accords with what I saw happen.

2. to grant or give to (a person). They accorded the president great respect.

noun

agreement. That is not in accord with your original statement.

acˈcordance: in accordance with

in agreement with. The money will be given out in accordance with his instructions.

acˈcordingly adverb

1. in agreement (with the circumstances etc). Find out what has happened and act accordingly.

2. therefore. He was very worried about the future of the firm and accordingly he did what he could to help.

according to

1. as said or told by. According to John, the bank closes at 3 p.m.

2. in agreement with. He acted according to his promise.

3. in the order of. books arranged according to their subjects.

4. in proportion to. You will be paid according to the amount of work you have done.

of one's own accord

of one's own free will. He did it of his own accord, without being forced to.

with one accord

(everybody) in agreement. With one accord they stood up to cheer him.

according to

→ وَفْقا ًلـ, وَفْقاً ل... podle ifølge gemäß, laut σύμφωνα με según jnkn mukaan, jonkin mukaan conformément à, selon prema, premda secondo ･･･に従って, ･･･に沿って ...에 따라, ~에 따라 volgens etter, i henhold til według, zgodnie z de acordo com, segundo в соответствии с enligt ตาม, ตามที่ göre theo như 按照, 根据

References in classic literature ?

So according to history it has been found from the most ancient times, and so it is to our own day.

Let us imagine two men who have come out to fight a duel with rapiers according to all the rules of the art of fencing.

View in context

According to the constitution of every State in the Union, some or other of the officers of government are appointed indirectly only by the people.

The President is indirectly derived from the choice of the people, according to the example in most of the States.

View in context

These closely similar particulars are collected together by their similarity primarily and, more correctly, by the fact that they are related to each other approximately according to the laws of perspective and of reflection and diffraction of light.

A photographic plate exposed on a clear night reproduces the appearance of the portion of the sky concerned, with more or fewer stars according to the power of the telescope that is being used.

View in context

Epigram iii on Midas of Larissa was otherwise attributed to Cleobulus of Lindus, one of the Seven Sages; the address to Glaucus (xi) is purely Hesiodic; xiii, according to MM.

View in context

[1256a] As a slave is a particular species of property, let us by all means inquire into the nature of property in general, and the acquisition of money, according to the manner we have proposed.

View in context

Now, according to our definition, Tragedy is an imitation of an action that is complete, and whole, and of a certain magnitude; for there may be a whole that is wanting in magnitude.

View in context

The first affirmed, "the justest method would be, to lay a certain tax upon vices and folly; and the sum fixed upon every man to be rated, after the fairest manner, by a jury of his neighbours." The second was of an opinion directly contrary; "to tax those qualities of body and mind, for which men chiefly value themselves; the rate to be more or less, according to the degrees of excelling; the decision whereof should be left entirely to their own breast." The highest tax was upon men who are the greatest favourites of the other sex, and the assessments, according to the number and nature of the favours they have received; for which, they are allowed to be their own vouchers.

View in context

And finally, as it is not enough, before commencing to rebuild the house in which we live, that it be pulled down, and materials and builders provided, or that we engage in the work ourselves, according to a plan which we have beforehand carefully drawn out, but as it is likewise necessary that we be furnished with some other house in which we may live commodiously during the operations, so that I might not remain irresolute in my actions, while my reason compelled me to suspend my judgement, and that I might not be prevented from living thenceforward in the greatest possible felicity, I formed a provisory code of morals, composed of three or four maxims, with which I am desirous to make you acquainted.

View in context

Sawyer, that a more unmanly, brutal treatment of a little pony it was never my painful lot to witness, and by giving way to such passion you injure your own character as much, nay more, than you injure your horse; and remember, we shall all have to be judged according to our works, whether they be toward man or toward beast."