If I have a toothache, I tolerate it. I make do until I can remedy the situation. I might take medication. I might go to the dentist if the toothache is bad enough. I will do something to tolerate the pain until I can make it go away. That is tolerance. I deal with it until I can change things.
Now, if I were to accept the toothache, I would deal with the pain and not really take measures to do anything about it. I would accept that the toothache is there, and I have to decide to live with the toothache the way it is. That is very different from tolerating the toothache.
Now apply those ideas to people. If we tolerate others, then we can take them how they are with some help (limited time with them, other folks present, alcohol). I can tolerate the person in question, but I probably hold out hope that I can change them to be more suitable or appealing to me in some way.
If I accept people, then I take them for how they are. I know that it is not my place to change them. If I cannot accept them the way they are, then I have to decide whether or not to continue associating with that person. Maybe I can tolerate them in a social setting, but I am not going to accept them for who and what they are. If I choose acceptance, then I have to abandon any notion that the person will change to suit me or my ideas. I have to accept them, warts and all, just the way they are.