acquit
/əˈkwɪt/ · verb
Meaning
- 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.
Etymology / origin
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.
- acquitāre(la-med)→
- aquiter(Old French)→
- aquiten(Middle English)→
- acquit (English)
- Relations: inh, der, der
Related words
Sources
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