acquit
Verb
Verb Forms: acquitted, acquitting, acquits
- To declare someone not guilty of a crime or wrongdoing.
- pronounce not guilty of criminal charges
- behave in a certain manner
- 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.
Examples
- The jury acquitted the prisoner of the charge.
- The official dictionary will acquit you if your opponent wrongly challenges a valid word.
- The orator acquitted himself very poorly.
- The soldier acquitted herself well in battle.
Origin / 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
assoil, bear, behave, carry, clear, comport, conduct, deport, discharge, exculpate, exonerate, absolve, acquit, disculpate, pardon, remit, vindicate
Scrabble Score: 17
acquit: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Wordacquit: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
acquit: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary