All 9 Uses of

accord
in
The Guardian, by Nicholas Sparks

I always wanted one when I was little, but since the house was so small, Mom always said no. They are big dogs, granted, but according to Harold, they're also just about the sweetest dogs in the world.†
Chpt Prol. *

according to = as stated by; or in agreement with

It was a toss-up, according to local opinion, as to who would be the first to make it to the big time.†
Chpt 2

Nor was she particularly adept at styling and cutting hair, at least according to the directions her customers gave her.†
Chpt 3

That, he thought, would make him look desperate, which according to Henry was something he had to avoid at all costs.†
Chpt 7

According to Tizzy Welborn, the owner, his bar was popular because "it had character."†
Chpt 15

According to people at the bar, he'd played one game of pool and lost, then sat at the bar the rest of the night, drinking boilermakers.†
Chpt 18

It was Thursday, two weeks after they'd first gone out and, more important, a week and a half after their third date, which was, according to the magazines, the magic number when it came to twisting the night away.†
Chpt 22

But according to the other lawyer, Richard is still dizzy from the other night.†
Chpt 28

The name was listed on four different pieces of equipment, and according to their records, it had never been reported as stolen.†
Chpt 38

Definitions:

(1) (accord as in: according to, or in accord with)
in keeping with; or in agreement/harmony/unity with
This meaning of accord is often seen in the form according to or accordingly where it can take on more specific meanings. For example:
- "According to Kim, ..." -- as stated by
- "To each according to her ability." -- based upon
- "Points are scored according to how well they perform." -- depending upon
- "The dose is calculated according to body weight." -- in proportion to
- "We got a flat tire. Accordingly, I pulled to the side of the road." -- because of what was just said; or as a result
(2) (accord as in: reached an accord)
an agreement

In this sense, accord can refer to a formal agreement (such as one written between two countries) or an informal agreement (such as an unvoiced consensus about what should be done).
(3) (accord as in: done of her own accord)
mind

This sense of accord is typically seen in the form own accord or one accord.
(4) (accord as in: accord her the respect deserved)
to give someone special treatment -- especially respect