Adjacent Words

Acquit definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

ACQUIT', v.t. [L. cedo.]
To set free; to release or discharge from an obligation, accusation, guilt, censure, suspicion, or whatever lies upon a person as a charge or duty; as, the jury acquitted the prisoner; we acquit a man of evil intentions. It is followed by of before the object; to acquit from is obsolete. In a reciprocal sense, as, the soldier acquitted himself well in battle, the word has a like sense, implying the discharge of a duty or obligation. Hence its use in expressing excellence in performance; as the orator acquitted himself well, that is, in a manner that his situation and public expectation demanded.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

v
1: pronounce not guilty of criminal charges; "The suspect was cleared of the murder charges" [syn: acquit, assoil, clear, discharge, exonerate, exculpate] [ant: convict]
2: behave in a certain manner; "She carried herself well"; "he bore himself with dignity"; "They conducted themselves well during these difficult times" [syn: behave, acquit, bear, deport, conduct, comport, carry]

Merriam Webster's

transitive verb (acquitted; acquitting) Etymology: Middle English aquiten, from Anglo-French aquiter, from a- (from Latin ad-) + quite free of — more at quit Date: 13th century 1. a. archaic to pay off (as a claim or debt) b. obsolete repay, requite 2. to discharge completely (as from an obligation or accusation) <the court acquitted the prisoner> 3. to conduct (oneself) usually satisfactorily especially under stress <the recruits acquitted themselves like veterans> Synonyms: see behave, exculpate • acquitter noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v. (acquitted, acquitting) 1 tr. (often foll. by of) declare (a person) not guilty (were acquitted of the offence). 2 refl. a conduct oneself or perform in a specified way (we acquitted ourselves well). b (foll. by of) discharge (a duty or responsibility). Etymology: ME f. OF aquiter f. med.L acquitare pay a debt (as AC-, QUIT)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Acquit Ac*quit", p. p. Acquitted; set free; rid of. [Archaic] --Shak.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Acquit Ac*quit", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Acquitted; p. pr. & vb. n. Acquitting.] [OE. aquiten, OF. aquiter, F. acquitter; ? (L. ad) + OF. quiter, F. quitter, to quit. See Quit, and cf. Acquiet.] 1. To discharge, as a claim or debt; to clear off; to pay off; to requite. A responsibility that can never be absolutely acquitted. --I. Taylor. 2. To pay for; to atone for. [Obs.] --Shak. 3. To set free, release or discharge from an obligation, duty, liability, burden, or from an accusation or charge; -- now followed by of before the charge, formerly by from; as, the jury acquitted the prisoner; we acquit a man of evil intentions. 4. Reflexively: (a) To clear one's self. --Shak. (b) To bear or conduct one's self; to perform one's part; as, the soldier acquitted himself well in battle; the orator acquitted himself very poorly. Syn: To absolve; clear; exonerate; exonerate; exculpate; release; discharge. See Absolve.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(acquits, acquitting, acquitted) 1. If someone is acquitted of a crime in a court of law, they are formally declared not to have committed the crime. Mr Ling was acquitted of disorderly behaviour by magistrates. = clear ? convict VERB: usu passive, be V-ed of n 2. If you acquit yourself well or admirably in a particular situation, other people feel that you have behaved well or admirably. (FORMAL) Most officers and men acquitted themselves well throughout the action. VERB: V pron-refl adv

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

v. a. Discharge (from an accusation), clear, release, absolve, exonerate, exculpate, excuse, pardon, forgive, quit, set free.

Moby Thesaurus

absolve, amnesty, bear, carry, clear, comport, conduct, convict, decontaminate, demean, deport, destigmatize, discharge, dismiss, dispense from, exculpate, excuse, exempt, exempt from, exonerate, forgive, free, give absolution, go on, grant amnesty to, grant immunity, grant remission, justify, let go, let off, liberate, nonpros, pardon, pass sentence, penalize, purge, quash the charge, quit, release, remit, set free, shrive, vindicate, whitewash, withdraw the charge