Michael,

I believe you felt the primary definition for "accost" was neutral, that it meant to approach and speak to someone.

Here are primary definitions I found:

american heritage
"To approach and speak to boldly or aggressively, as with a demand or request. "

Webster:
"to approach and speak to often in a challenging or aggressive way "

cambridge
"to approach or stop and speak to someone in a threatening way:"

encarta
"to approach and stop somebody in order to speak, especially in an aggressive, insistent, or suggestive way"

I fail to see how any primary definition is "pretty much neutral".



"I'll bow out of this thread right here."

Same here.

Kevin