acquit

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /əˈkwɪt/ UK /əˈkwɪt/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

verb
to free a person from a criminal charge by verdict

The jury chose to acquit the defendant on all counts.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to free a person from a... absolve exonerate clear exculpate vindicate discharge release

Opposites

convict condemn incriminate

Word family

Derived forms acquittal acquittanceacquitter

Related forms quit requite

Appears in

Proverbs (1)

See all

If it doesn't fit, you must acquit

Simplified etymology

Acquit entered Middle English and shares its root with quit. That family goes back through Old French quitte, meaning “acquitted, exempt, or released,” to Latin quietus, “free,” and ultimately quiescere, “be still” or “be at peace.” Early verbal uses in this family included “repay” and “liberate.”

Etymology

From Old French aquiter ('to settle, pay off, set free'), from Medieval Latin acquitare, from Latin ad- ('to') + quitare ('to release, discharge'), from quietus ('at rest, free').

aquiter Old French quietus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# acquit

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /əˈkwɪt/
**IPA (UK):** /əˈkwɪt/

## Meanings
1. to free a person from a criminal charge by verdict

## Examples
- The jury chose to acquit the defendant on all counts.

## Synonyms
- absolve
- exonerate
- clear
- exculpate
- vindicate
- discharge
- release

## Antonyms
- convict
- condemn
- incriminate

## Derived Forms
- acquittal
- acquittance
- acquitter

## Related Forms
- quit
- requite

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: aquiter
- Root: quietus

## Etymology
From Old French aquiter ('to settle, pay off, set free'), from Medieval Latin acquitare, from Latin ad- ('to') + quitare ('to release, discharge'), from quietus ('at rest, free').

## AI Etymology
Acquit is from Old French aquiter ('to settle, pay off, set free'), from Medieval Latin acquitare, from Latin ad- ('to') + quitare ('to release, discharge'), from quietus ('at rest, free'). Important recorded forms include aquiter (Old French) and quietus (Latin). Morphologically, the word is a built form whose named elements carry part of the historical sense. The current sense covers to free a person from a criminal charge by verdict. The wider family includes derived forms such as acquittal, acquittance, and acquitter and related words such as quit and requite.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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