FindLaw Legal Dictionary

Accrue

accrue vb

ac·crued
ac·cru·ing
[Middle French accreue increase, addition to a property, from feminine of accreu, past participle of acreistre to increase]
vi
1 : to come into existence as an enforceable claim
: vest as a right [action…does not until the plaintiff knew or reasonably should have known that he may have suffered injury "National Law Journal"] NOTE: Statutes of limitations begin to run when a cause of action accrues.
2 : to come by way of increase or addition
: arise as a growth or result usually used with to or from [advantages accruing to society from the freedom of the press] [interest s to the seller as a result of the delay]
3 : to be periodically accumulated in the process of time whether as an increase or a decrease [the accruing of taxes] [allowing the receivable interest to ]
vt
1 : to accumulate or have due after a period of time [authorized by law to leave…in the maximum amount of 120 days "U.S. Code"]
2 : to enter in the books as an accrual

Source: Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law ©1996. Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. Published under license with Merriam-Webster, Incorporated.