English Explanatory Dictionary

acquit

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb

To declare or find innocent or not guilty.
To discharge (for example, a claim or debt); to clear off, to pay off; to fulfil.
to discharge, release, or set free from a burden, duty, liability, or obligation, or from an accusation or charge.
To bear or conduct oneself; to perform one's part.
To clear oneself.
past participle of acquit.
To release, to rescue, to set free.
To pay for; to atone for.

Pronunciation

ə-kwĭt /əˈkwɪt/ en-au-acquit.ogg

Word forms

acquit acquits acquitting acquitted acquite

Etymology

From Middle English aquī̆ten (“to give in return; to pay, repay; to redeem (a pledge, security), to make good (a promise); to make amends; to relieve of an obligation; to acquit, clear of a charge; to free; to deprive of; to do one's part, acquit oneself; to act, behave (in a certain way)”), from Old French aquiter (“to act, do”) and Medieval Latin acquitāre (“to settle a debt”), from ad- (“to”) + quitare (“to free”), equivalent to a- + quit. Doublet of acquiet; also related to quit, quiet and acquiesce.

Synonyms

acquittance assoil assoilzie acquit absolve clear disculp disculpate exculpate exonerate vindicate

Antonyms

accuse blame charge convict condemn impeach incriminate inculpate indict adjudge damn deem doom judge sentence

Related words

let off verdict sentence forgive pardon remit

Derived words

acquitment acquittal acquital acquittance acquittee acquitter unacquittable unacquitted unaquit

This entry uses open data from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA/GFDL). Word forms are used for search and are not indexed as separate pages.

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