Accharā¹

feminine the snapping of the fingers, the bringing together of the finger-tips:

1. (lit.) accharaṃ paharati to snap the fingers Ja.ii.447; Ja.iii.191; Ja.iv.124, Ja.iv.126 Ja.v.314; Ja.vi.366; Dhp-a.i.38, Dhp-a.i.424
   ■ As measure: as much as one may hold with the finger-tips, a pinch Ja.v.385; Dhp-a.ii.273 (˚gahaṇamattaṃ); cp. ekacchara-matta Dhp-a.ii.274.
2. (fig.) a finger’s snap, i.e. a short moment in ek˚acchara-kkhaṇe in one moment Mil.102, and in def. of acchariya (q.v.) at DN-a.i.43; Vv-a.329.

• -saṅghāta the snapping of the fingers as signifying a short duration of time, a moment, ˚matta momentary only for one moment (cp. BSk. acchaṭāsanghāta Divy.142) AN.i.10, AN.i.34, AN.i.38; AN.iv.396; Thag.405; Thag.2, Thag.67 (expld at Thag-a.76 as ghaṭikāmattam pi khaṇaṃ angulipoṭhanamattam pi kālaṃ).
• -sadda the sound of the snapping of a finger Ja.iii.127.

etym. uncertain, but certainly dialectical; Trenckner connects it with ācchurita (Notes 76); Childers compares Sk. akṣara (see akkhara); there may be a connection with akkhaṇa in akkhaṇa-vedhin (cp. BSk. acchaṭā Divy.555), or possibly a relation to ā + tsar, thus meaning “stealthily”, although the primary meaning is “snapping, a quick sound”

Accharā²

feminine a celestial nymph MN.i.253 (pl. accharāyo MN.ii.64; Thig.374 (= devaccharā Thag-a.252); Ja.v.152 sq (Alambusā a.) Vv.5#5 (= devakaññā Vv-a.37); Vv.17^2; Vv.18#11 etc.; Dhp-a.iii.8, Dhp-a.iii.19; Pv-a.46 (dev˚); Mil.169 Sdhp.298.

Vedic apsaras = āpa, water + sarati, orig; water nymph