acquit
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to relieve from a charge of fault or crime; declare not guilty.
They acquitted him of the crime. The jury acquitted her, but I still think she's guilty.
- Antonyms:
- convict
-
to release or discharge (a person) from an obligation.
- Synonyms:
- free
-
to settle or satisfy (a debt, obligation, claim, etc.).
-
to bear or conduct (oneself); behave.
He acquitted himself well in battle.
-
to free or clear (oneself).
He acquitted himself of suspicion.
verb
-
(foll by of)
-
to free or release (from a charge of crime)
-
to pronounce not guilty
-
-
(foll by of) to free or relieve (from an obligation, duty, responsibility, etc)
-
to repay or settle (something, such as a debt or obligation)
-
to perform (one's part); conduct (oneself)
Related Words
See absolve.
Other Word Forms
- acquitter noun
- preacquit verb (used with object)
Etymology
Origin of acquit
First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English aquiten, from Anglo-French, Old French (ac)quiter, derivative, with a(c)- “toward” ( ac- ), from quite “free of obligations,” from Medieval Latin quit(t)us, Latin quiētus ( quiet ); quit 1
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.
