abet
pronunciation
How to pronounce abet in British English:
UK [əˈbet]
How to pronounce abet in American English:
US [ əˈbet]
-
- Verb:
- assist or encourage, usually in some wrongdoing
Word Origin
- abet
- abet: see bait
- abet (v.)
- late 14c. (implied in abetting), from Old French abeter "to bait, to harass with dogs," literally "to cause to bite," from a- "to" (see ad-) + beter "to bait," from Frankish or some other Germanic source, perhaps Low Franconian betan "incite," or Old Norse beita "cause to bite," from Proto-Germanic *baitjan, from PIE root *bheid- "to split" (see fissure). Related: Abetted; abetting.
Antonym
Example
- 1. They are surely less of a danger to the west than pakistan or yemen , both at least somewhat functional countries where state ideology and state institutions abet terrorists .
- 2. You can , however , buy shares in companies whose products and services encourage , abet , and enable time wasting and delay .
- 3. Under current legislation , those who " aid , abet , counsel or procure " someone to end their own life can be prosecuted and jailed for up to 14 years .
- 4. People-smuggling is done with the consent of those involved ; they have no further debt to the gangsters who abet them once they arrive .
- 5. The commercial imperative may seem strong , but facebook cannot simply shrug off its responsibility not to abet behaviour that violates human rights .