Acquit Meaning
/əˈkwɪt/Definition, CEFR level C2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
verbTo declare or find innocent or not guilty.
verbTo discharge (for example, a claim or debt); to clear off, to pay off; to fulfil.
Sentence Examples
The jury acquitted the prisoner of the charge.
The orator acquitted himself very poorly.
The jury decided to acquit the defendant after reviewing the new evidence.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The jury deliberated for hours before voting to ____ the defendant of all charges.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The jury decided to ____ the man after the evidence was proven false.
Word Origin & History
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.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"[W]hen God ſaith of himſelfe, that he is one who acquiting will not acquite the wicked, his meaning is, that whatſoeuer may be ſuppoſed becauſe of his patience, yet he will not fully and finally diſcharge thoſe who goe on ſtill in their vngodly courſes, and preſume vpon his Mercy, without repentance."
— 1619, Samuel Hieron, “[The Back-parts of Iehovah.] The Fourth Sermon.”, in The Sermons of Master Samvel Hieron, […], London: Printed by Iohn Legatt, published 1620, →OCLC, page 188:
"But gently could his passion entertaine, / Though she Love's princesse, he a lowly swaine. / First of his bold intrusion she acquites him, / Then to her service (happy Boy!) admits him, / And, like another Love, with bow and quiver fits him."
— 1628, Phineas Fletcher (falsely attributed to Edmund Spenser), Brittain’s Ida. Written by that Renowned Poët, Edmond Spencer, London: Printed [by Nicholas Okes] for Thomas Walkley, […], →OCLC; republished in Alexander B[alloch] Grosart, editor, The Poems of Phineas Fletcher, B.D., Rector of Hilgay, Norfolk: […] In Four Volumes (The Fuller Worthies’ Library), volume I, [s.l.]: Printed for private circulation, 1869, →OCLC, canto IV, stanza 8, page 72:
"But I do not pretend that my protestations should acquit me: I rest my innocence on a plain and simple explanation of the facts which have been adduced against me; and I hope the character I have always borne will incline my judges to a favourable interpretation, where any circumstance appears doubtful or suspicious."
— 1816 June – 1817 April/May (date written), [Mary Shelley], chapter VII, in Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. […], volume I, London: […] [Macdonald and Son] for Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor, & Jones, published 1 January 1818, →OCLC, pages 164–165:
"If he [Francis Bacon] was convicted, it was because it was impossible to acquit him without offering the grossest outrage to justice and common sense."
— 1837 July, [Thomas Babington Macaulay], “Art. I.—The Works of Francis Bacon, Lord Chancellor of England. A New Edition. By Basil Montagu, Esq. Sixteen Vols. 8vo. London: 1825–1834. [book review]”, in The Edinburgh Review, or Critical Journal, volume LXVI, number CXXXII, Edinburgh: Printed by Ballantyne and Company; for Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, Green, and Longman, London; and Adam and Charles Black, Edinburgh, →OCLC, page 59:
"The new accusation brought by Urban [Pope Urban IV] 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."
— 1856, Mrs. William Busk, “Manfred”, in 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, page 294:
Explore More C2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The jury deliberated for hours before voting to ____ the defendant of all charges.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The jury decided to ____ the man after the evidence was proven false.