accident of birth

collocation in English

meaningsofaccidentandbirth

These words are often used together. Click on the links below to explore the meanings. Or,see other collocations withaccident.
accident
noun
uk
/ˈæk.sɪ.dənt/
us
/ˈæk.sə.dənt/
something bad that happens that is not expected or intended and that often damages something or ...
See more ataccident
birth
noun
uk
/bɜːθ/
us
/bɝːθ/
the time when a baby or young animal comes out of its ...
See more atbirth

(Definition ofaccidentandbirthfrom theCambridge English Dictionary© Cambridge University Press)

Examplesofaccident of birth

These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
It is no longer anaccidentofbirth.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
One of them is theaccidentofbirth.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
It is not even byaccidentofbirthalone.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Its members are there byaccidentofbirth.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
I am here by anaccidentofbirth.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
The fact that hereditary peers sit in the other place is solely because of anaccidentofbirth—in some cases, a rather disreputableaccidentofbirth.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
They have been selected by no special process, but merely by theaccidentofbirth.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
The answer to difference is to respect it, because it is anaccidentofbirth.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
The spirit of the individual is more than a mereaccidentofbirth.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
It is not merit; it is theaccidentofbirthand opportunity.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
I shall not discuss inequalities which arise from theaccidentofbirth.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
There is no legitimacy in using anaccidentofbirthto claim privilege.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
I regardaccidentofbirthas being at least as irreversible as colour or race.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Byaccidentofbirth, we have been given an opportunity to serve our country in government.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
The poverty question should not be allowed to measure theaccidentofbirth.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Most of its members are there because of theaccidentofbirth.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
But it is a lottery already; it is anaccidentofbirth.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
But is there any precedent for people acquiring citizenship by mere residence oraccidentofbirth?
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
I also disdain the old cliché that we are here byaccidentofbirth.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
We cannot leave to anaccidentofbirthwhether a person receives good or bad training.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
We are some kind of oligarchy, meritocracy oraccidentofbirth.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
First, they have very high academic standards yet admission is in no way dependent on theaccidentofbirth.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
It is undemocratic that 600 families can rule byaccidentofbirthalone over 60 million people.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Why should theaccidentofbirthat any time determine the position of any individual born into the world?
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Everything, therefore, depends uponaccidentofbirthand when a person was trained—not where or how he was trained.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
Want to learn more?
Go to the definition ofaccident
Go to the definition ofbirth
See other collocations withaccident