English

Alternative forms

• acquite (archaic)

Verb

acquit ‎(third-person singular simple present acquits, present participle acquitting or acquiting, simple past and past participle acquitted or acquited)

1. To declare or find not guilty; innocent.
   • 1856, Mrs. William Busk, Mediæval Popes, Emperors, Kings, and Crusaders: Or, Germany, Italy and Palestine, from A.D. 1125 to A.D. 1268, volume IV, London: Hookham and Sons, OCLC 2480341, page 294:

     The new accusation brought by Urban against Manfred of murdering his sister-in-law's embassador – it may be observed that, tacitly, he acquits him of parricide, fratricide, and nepoticide – requires a little explanation.

2. (followed by “of”, formerly by “from”) To set free, release or discharge from an obligation, duty, liability, burden, or from an accusation or charge.

   The jury acquitted the prisoner of the charge.

   • 1775, Richard Sheridan, The Duenna

     His poverty, can you acquit him of that?

   • 1837, Thomas Babington Macaulay, “Lord Bacon” in The Edinburgh Review, July 1837

     If he [Bacon] was convicted, it was because it was impossible to acquit him without offering the grossest outrage to justice and common sense.

3. (obsolete, rare) To pay for; to atone for
   • 1594, William Shakespeare, The Rape of Lucrece, line 1071

     Till life to death acquit my forced offence.

4. To discharge, as a claim or debt; to clear off; to pay off; to requite, to fulfill.
   • 1482 (earliest extant version), Geoffrey Chaucer, Troilus and Criseyde, Book II, 1200

     ‘Aquyte him wel, for goddes love,’ quod he;

   • 1640, Thomas Carew, Tasso

     Midst foes (as champion of the faith) he ment / That palme or cypress should his painees acquite.

   • 1836, Edward Everett, Orations I-382

     I admit it to be not so much the duty as the privilege of an American citizen to acquit this obligation to the memory of his fathers with discretion and generosity.

   • 1844, Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Experience” in Essays: second series

     We see young men who owe us a new world, so readily and lavishly they promise, but they never acquit the debt; they die young and dodge the account: or if they live, they lose themselves in the crowd.

5. (reflexive) To clear one’s self.
   • 1593, William Shakespeare, King Henry VI, Part 2, Act III, III-ii

     Pray God he may acquit him of suspicion!

6. (reflexive) To bear or conduct one’s self; to perform one’s part.

   The soldier acquitted himself well in battle.

   The orator acquitted himself very poorly.

   • November 2 2014, Daniel Taylor, "Sergio Agüero strike wins derby for Manchester City against 10-man United," guardian.co.uk

     Van Gaal responded by replacing Adnan Januzaj with Carrick and, in fairness, the emergency centre-half did exceedingly well given that he has not played since May. McNair also acquitted himself well after Rojo was injured sliding into a challenge with Martín Demichelis

   • 1766, Oliver Goldsmith, The vicar of Wakefield, xiv

     Though this was one of the first mercantile transactions of my life, yet I had no doubt about acquitting myself with reputation.

7. (obsolete) To release, set free, rescue.
   • 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, Canto I, I-vii-52

     Till I have acquit your captive Knight.

8. (archaic) past participle of acquit
   • 1599, William Shakespeare, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Act I, I-iii

     I am glad I am so acquit of this tinder box.

Synonyms

• absolve
• clear
• exonerate
• innocent
• exculpate
• release
• discharge

Derived terms

• acquital, acquittal

Antonyms

• (to declare innocent): condemn, convict

Translations

References

• acquit in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1914

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a.ki/

Verb

acquit

1. third-person singular past historic of acquérir