access

I UK [ˈækses] / US [ˈækˌses] noun [uncountable] ***

1) the right or opportunity to have or use something that will bring you benefits

access to:

Access to up-to-date financial information is important to our success.

Only 40% of 5-year-olds have access to pre-school education.

gain access:

Some groups still have difficulty gaining access to health care.

a) the right to look at private information

access to:

Access to employees' records is restricted.

b) permission to see and talk to an important person

access to:

She's one of a handful of aides with direct access to the president.

c) the legal right to visit your children after you are divorced

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Collocations:
Verbs frequently used with access as the object ▪  allow, block, control, deny, gain, give, grant, limit, restrict

2) the means by which you get to a place

Access is by means of a door at the back of the stage.

access to:

A lift provides access to the upper floors.

There is easy access to the countryside by rail.

II UK [ˈækses] / US [ˈækˌses] verb [transitive]
Word forms "access":
present tense I/you/we/they access he/she/it accesses present participle accessing past tense accessed past participle accessed

Get it right: access:

Don't use the preposition to after the verb access. Use a direct object:
Wrong: Anyone can access to the website.
Right: Anyone can access the website.
Wrong: With cyber cafes, even those who cannot afford computers can access to the information they need.
Right: With cyber cafes, even those who cannot afford computers can access the information they need.   Don't confuse the verb access with the noun access: the noun is followed by to: Anyone can have access to the website. When drug prices are high, people are more likely to commit crimes in order to get access to them.

1) to get information, especially from a computer

The database allows you to access the sales figures in a number of ways.

2) formal to get to and enter a place

The road is closed but can be accessed by emergency vehicles.