abet
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
Other Word Forms
- abetment noun
- abettal noun
- abetter noun
- unabetted adjective
- unabetting adjective
Etymology
Origin of abet
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English abette (source of Old French abeter, unless the latter, of Germanic origin, is the source of the Middle English), unattested Old English ābǣtan “to hound on,” equivalent to ā- a- 3 + bǣtan “to hunt, chase with dogs, pasture”; bait; akin to bite
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In an email to Salon, Warner spokeswoman Rachel Cohen insisted the law would focus “on restricting businesses that facilitate or abet” specific kinds of harm, but not on individual users.
From Salon
The 35-year-old man, named only as Fadel Z in line with German privacy rules, was also found guilty of aiding and abetting attempted murder, and numerous violations of European Union embargo regulations.
From BBC
Economics did most of the damage, abetted by environmental concerns.
From Los Angeles Times
Although they were explicitly programmed to refuse to help hackers, the bots were duped into abetting the cybercrime.
From Los Angeles Times
Their careers play leapfrog, abetted by the studio executives and moneymen who bankroll their film projects, often against the executives’ better judgment.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
