acquit
pronunciation
How to pronounce acquit in British English:
UK [əˈkwɪt]
How to pronounce acquit in American English:
US [əˈkwɪt]
-
- Verb:
- pronounce not guilty of criminal charges
- behave in a certain manner
Word Origin
- acquit
- acquit: [13] Acquit is ultimately related to quiet. The Latin noun quies, from which we get quiet, was the basis of a probable verb *quietare, later *quitare, whose original meaning, ‘put to rest’, developed to ‘settle’, as in ‘settle a debt’. With the addition of the prefix ad- this passed into Old French as a(c)quiter, and thence into English (still with the ‘settling or discharging debts’ meaning). The currently most common sense, ‘declare not guilty’, did not appear until the 14th century, and the most recent meaning, ‘conduct oneself in a particular way’, developed from the notion of discharging one’s duties.=> quiet
- acquit (v.)
- early 13c., "to satisfy a debt" (either for oneself or on behalf of another), from Old French aquiter "pay, pay up, settle a claim" (12c.), from a "to" (see ad-) + quite "free, clear" (see quit (adj.)). Meanings "set free from charges" and "to discharge one's duty" both recorded from late 14c. Related: Acquitted; acquitting.
Example
- 1. A jury has the power to convict or acquit .
- 2. They tried to bribe the judge to acquit them .
- 3. That you will acquit yourselves honourably and with distinction .
- 4. Eg the court acquit two of the accused .
- 5. He is acquit in default of strong evidence of his guilt .