to relieve from a charge of fault or crime; declare not guilty: They acquitted him of the crime. The jury acquitted her, but I still think she's guilty.
2.
to release or discharge (a person) from an obligation.
3.
to settle or satisfy (a debt, obligation, claim, etc.).
4.
to bear or conduct (oneself); behave: He acquitted himself well in battle.
5.
to free or clear (oneself): He acquitted himself of suspicion.
[Origin: 1200–50; ME aquiten < AF, OF a(c)quiter, deriv., with a(c)- ac-, of quite free of obligations < ML quit(t)us, L quiétusquiet1; cf. quit]
To conduct (oneself) in a specified manner: acquitted herself well during the interview.
Obsolete To repay.
[Middle English aquiten, from Old French aquiter : a-, to (from Latin ad-; see ad-) + quite, free, clear (from Medieval Latin quittus, variant of Latin quiētus, past participle of quiēscere, to rest; see kweiə- in Indo-European roots).]
c.1230, "to satisfy a debt" (either for oneself or on behalf of another), from O.Fr. acquitter "settle a claim," from à "to" + quite "free, clear" (see quit). Meaning "free from charges" is c.1386. Sense of "to discharge one's duty" is from c.1386.
pronounce not guilty of criminal charges; "The suspect was cleared of the murder charges" [ant: convict]
2.
behave in a certain manner; "She carried herself well"; "he bore himself with dignity"; "They conducted themselves well during these difficult times" [syn: behave]
Main Entry: ac·quit Pronunciation: &-'kwit Function: verb Inflected Forms: ac·quit·ted; ac·quit·ting Etymology:
Old French acquiter to pay off, absolve, acquit, from a-, prefix marking causation + quite free (of an obligation) transitive verb : to discharge completely: as a: to release from liability for a debt or other obligation —usually used in agreements <forever release, acquit, and discharge each other> b: to absolve (a
criminal defendant) of a charge by judicial process c: to clear of wrongdoing <the fact…does not acquit them of misrepresentation —In re Hiller, 694 Pacific
Reporter, Second Series 540 (1985)> intransitive verb : to absolve a defendant of criminal liability <must acquit if any reasonable doubt existed —Commonwealth v.
Gagliardi, 638 North Eastern Reporter, Second Series 20 (1994)> —compare CONVICT
Ab*solve"\ (#; 277), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Absolved; p. pr. & vb. n. Absolving.] [L. absolvere to set free, to absolve; ab + solvere to loose. See Assoil, Solve.]1. To set free, or release, as from some obligation, debt, or responsibility, or from the consequences of guilt or such ties as it would be sin or guilt to violate; to pronounce free; as, to absolve a subject from his allegiance; to absolve an offender, which amounts to an acquittal and remission of his punishment. Halifax was absolved by a majority of fourteen. --Macaulay. 2. To free from a penalty; to pardon; to remit (a sin); -- said of the sin or guilt. In his name I absolve your perjury. --Gibbon. 3. To finish; to accomplish. [Obs.] The work begun, how soon absolved. --Milton. 4. To resolve or explain. [Obs.] "We shall not absolve the doubt." --Sir T. Browne. Syn: To Absolve, Exonerate, Acquit. Usage: We speak of a man as absolved from something that binds his conscience, or involves the charge of wrongdoing; as, to absolve from allegiance or from the obligation of an oath, or a promise. We speak of a person as exonerated, when he is released from some burden which had rested upon him; as, to exonerate from suspicion, to exonerate from blame or odium. It implies a purely moral acquittal. We speak of a person as acquitted, when a decision has been made in his favor with reference to a specific charge, either by a jury or by disinterested persons; as, he was acquitted of all participation in the crime.
Ac*qui"et\, v. t. [LL. acquietare; L. ad + quies rest. See Quiet and cf. Acquit.] To quiet. [Obs.] Acquiet his mind from stirring you against your own peace. --Sir A. Sherley.
Ac*quit"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Acquitted; p. pr. & vb. n. Acquitting.] [OE. aquiten, OF. aquiter, F. acquitter; ? (L. ad) + OF. quiter, F. quitter, to quit. See Quit, and cf. Acquiet.]1. To discharge, as a claim or debt; to clear off; to pay off; to requite. A responsibility that can never be absolutely acquitted. --I. Taylor. 2. To pay for; to atone for. [Obs.] --Shak. 3. To set free, release or discharge from an obligation, duty, liability, burden, or from an accusation or charge; -- now followed by of before the charge, formerly by from; as, the jury acquitted the prisoner; we acquit a man of evil intentions. 4. Reflexively: (a) To clear one's self. --Shak. (b) To bear or conduct one's self; to perform one's part; as, the soldier acquitted himself well in battle; the orator acquitted himself very poorly. Syn: To absolve; clear; exonerate; exonerate; exculpate; release; discharge. See Absolve.
Ac*quit"tance\, n. [OF. aquitance, fr. aquiter. See Acquit.]1. The clearing off of debt or obligation; a release or discharge from debt or other liability. 2. A writing which is evidence of a discharge; a receipt in full, which bars a further demand. You can produce acquittances For such a sum, from special officers. --Shak.
Quit\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Quit or Quitted; p. pr. & vb. n. Quitting.] [OE. quiten, OF. quiter, quitier, cuitier, F. quitter, to acquit, quit, LL. quietare, fr. L. quietare to calm, to quiet, fr. quietus quiet. See Quiet, a., and cf. Quit, a., Quite, Acquit, Requite.]1. To set at rest; to free, as from anything harmful or oppressive; to relieve; to clear; to liberate. [R.] To quit you of this fear, you have already looked Death in the face; what have you found so terrible in it? --Wake. 2. To release from obligation, accusation, penalty, or the like; to absolve; to acquit. There may no gold them quyte. --Chaucer. God will relent, and quit thee all his debt. --Milton. 3. To discharge, as an obligation or duty; to meet and satisfy, as a claim or debt; to make payment for or of; to requite; to repay. The blissful martyr quyte you your meed. --Chaucer. Enkindle all the sparks of nature To quit this horrid act. --Shak. Before that judge that quits each soul his hire. --Fairfax. 4. To meet the claims upon, or expectations entertained of; to conduct; to acquit; -- used reflexively. Be strong, and quit yourselves like men. --I Sam. iv. 9. Samson hath guit himself Like Samson. --Milton. 5. To carry through; to go through to the end. [Obs.] Never worthy prince a day did quit With greater hazard and with more renown. --Daniel. 6. To have done with; to cease from; to stop; hence, to depart from; to leave; to forsake; as, to quit work; to quit the place; to quit jesting. Such a superficial way of examining is to quit truth for appearance. --Locke. To quit cost, to pay; to reimburse. To quit scores, to make even; to clear mutually from demands. Does not the earth quit scores with all the elements in the noble fruits that issue from it? --South. Syn: To leave; relinquish; resign; abandon; forsake; surrender; discharge; requite. Usage: Quit, Leave. Leave is a general term, signifying merely an act of departure; quit implies a going without intention of return, a final and absolute abandonment.
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