▪ I. acquit, v.
(əˈkwɪt)
Forms: 3 acwit-en, aquyte; 3–4 aquite; 4 aquytye; 4–6 acqwyte, acquyte; 4–7 acquite, 6– acquit. pa. pple. 3 aquited, aquyted; 4 acquite; 5 aqwyt, aquytte; 6 acquytte; 4–7 acquit; 7– acquitted.
[a. OFr. aquite-r, acuiter (Pr. aquitar):—late L. *acquitāre, f. ac- = ad- to + *quitāre, = L. quiētare to settle; see quit. As in quit, the vowel was long, aquīte, to 16th and even 17th c. Cf. requīte.]
orig. To quiet, appease, or satisfy a claim. Hence, To satisfy or settle the claimant or creditor; to clear or discharge the debtor.
I. To acquit a claim, debt, obligation.
1. To settle, clear off, discharge, pay (a claim, debt, or liability).
| c 1230 Ancren Riwle 126 Þet is ure raunsun þet we schulen areimen us mide, & acwiten ure dettes touward ure Louerd. 1297 R. Glouc. 565 To & fifti þousund pound, al in one daye..God wite in o dai wan it aquited be. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. xvi. 12 Yf he quike by-quethe hem auht · oþer wolde helpe aquite here dettes. c 1400 Rom. Rose 6744 If his wynnyng be so lite, That his labour wole not acquyte Sufficiantly al his lyvyng. 1475 Caxton Jason 67 It behoueth that I acquite myn avowe. 1598 B. Yong tr. Diana 51 The debt..which..we are neuer able to acquite. a 1642 Quarles Samson in Farr S.P. (1848) 126 The sweetness of the season does invite Your steps to visit Timnah, and acquite Your last night's promise. 1725 Pope Odyss. xx. 362 This gift acquits the dear respect I owe. 1770 Junius Lett. xl. 204 An obligation he was..unable to acquit. 1829 I. Taylor Enthus. §7. 146 (1867) A responsibility that can never be absolutely acquitted. 1832 Sismondi Ital. Repub. viii. 173 It was not till the month of April, 1370..that they could acquit the enormous sum of 300,000 florins. |
† 2. To discharge the claims or duties of (an office), to perform, fulfil, accomplish, finish. Obs.
| c 1530 Ld. Berners Arthur (1814) 175 The whiche knyghte..hath aquyted the Porte Noyre, and acheued all alone the aduentures of that place. 1592 Davies in Chalmers Eng. Poets V. 86/2 Nor can a judge his office well acquit If he possess'd of either party be. a 1670 Hacket Life of Williams ii. 42 Like Samuel, when he had acquitted his government, he liv'd in estimation like the chief of the prophets. |
3. To discharge (a debt arising out of something done to or for us); to pay back, pay off, requite (a benefit or injury). arch.
| c 1314 Guy Warw. 30 Here is thine hors, Y giue it te, When Ichaue nede, aquite it me. 1393 Gower Conf. III. 352 Thus wolde I for my last word beseche, That thou my love aquite, as I deserve. c 1440 Morte Arthur 48 (1819) Welle acquyteste thou it me, That I haue worshipped any knyght. 1529 Wolsey in Ellis Orig. Lett. i. 104. II. 9 And as my poore shal increase, so shal I not fayle to acquyte your kyndnes. 1535 A Goodly Prymer (1834) 60 Make us that we acquit not evil for evil. c 1630 Jackson Creed vii. xviii. Wks. VII. 150 Some reward sufficient to acquit or countervail his pains. 1726 Gay Fables i. xv. 45 When services are thus acquitted, Be sure we pheasants must be spitted. |
† 4. To discharge (a debt arising out of something done by us); to pay for, atone for (an offence). Obs.
| 1593 Shakes. Lucr. 1071 Till life to death acquit my forced offence. 1598 B. Yong tr. Diana 25 What haue I done, that I haue not acquitted, Or what excesse, that is not amply paied? 1600 Heywood 1 Edw. IV, 18 Vntil at Tyburn you acquit the fault. |
† 5. To cancel (a debt due to us), to surrender, give up (a claim or right). Obs. rare.
| 1649 Selden Laws of Eng. i. xix. 35 (1739) The Lord might acquit his own title of Bondage, but no man could be made free without the act of the whole body. |
II. To acquit the claimant or creditor.
† 6. To pay off (a person in respect of a debt due to him, a benefit or injury received of him); to repay, requite, be quits with. Obs.
| c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 3084 Þan schalt þov him acquyte wel{revsc} of al ys shrewidnesse. Ibid. 3298 Ofte sche doþ me gyle, Y hope to Mahoun þat ȝute y schel{revsc} ones a-quyte hur wyle. c 1425 Wyntown Cron. ix. x. 70 Thar-of I dare the welle acqwyte. c 1525 Skelton Poems 180 Scrybbyl thou, scrybyll thou, rayle or wryght, Wright what thou wylte, I xall the aquyte. 1580 Tusser Husb. vii. 16 So many as looue me, and vse me aright, With treasure and pleasure, I richly acquite. 1596 Shakes. Merch. V. v. i. 138 Por. For as I heare he was much bound for you. Ant. No more then I am wel acquitted of. 1599 ― Hen. V, ii. ii. 144 Their faults are open, Arrest them to the answer of the Law, And God acquit them of their practises. |
† 7. To discharge or dispossess (a person of something belonging or due to him); deprive of. Obs.
| a 1300 Floriz & Bl. 208 Þer nis non so riche king Þat dorst entermeten of eni such þing And þe Admiral hit miȝte iwite Þat he nere of his lif aquite. c 1300 K. Alis. (W.) 3868 Y am of Perce deschargid, Of Mede, and of Assyre aquyted. |
III. To acquit the debtor, prisoner, person charged or responsible.
† 8. To pay the debt for and free (a debtor or prisoner); to deliver, ransom. Obs.
| c 1230 Ancren Riwle 394 Ne telleð me him god feolawe þet leið his wed ine Giwerie uorto acwiten ut his fere? c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 3453 He schal be kept, by swete iesous, For to aquytye on of ous, If he wer take there. 1596 Spenser F.Q. i. vii. 52 For, till I have acquit your captive knight, Assure your selfe, I will you not forsake. |
† 9. To cancel the debt of and set free (one's own debtor or prisoner); to release, liberate. Obs.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce xix. 237 He send and acquyt hym all planly, And gaf the trewis wp oppinly. c 1386 Chaucer Friar's T. 299 Pay anoon, let se, Twelf pens to me, and I the wil acquite. 1630 Prynne God No Impostor 32 A man who hath two just, two deepe ingaged Debtors, doth freely acquite the one. |
10. To set free, release, liberate, deliver, rid (a person of or from a duty, obligation, or burden). arch.
| 1463 J. Baret in Bury Wills 21 (1850) To a qwyte the said Seynt Marie preest of the taske Abbott's cope, and alle maner charges. 1574 tr. Littleton's Tenures 26 a, Theye were acquited agaynste theire lorde of al manner of services. c 1627 Bp. Hall Dauids Ps. Metaphr. vii, From bloudy spight Of all my raging enemies Oh! let thy mercy me acquite. 1654 Jer. Taylor Real Pres. 27 To acquit us from our search after this question in Scripture. 1696 in Col. Rec. Penn. I. 498 Desired of the Governor to be acquitted of his assistance⁓shipp. 1701 Swift Cont. Nobles & Com. Wks. 1755, II. i. 28 To be acquitted of all their debts. 1853 Arabian Nights 131 (Routl.) The liberty you grant me acquits you of all obligation towards me. |
11. To set free or clear from a charge or accusation; to exculpate, exonerate, declare not guilty (of, formerly from the thing charged).
| c 1386 Chaucer Pars. T. 105 A man may aquyte himself byforn God by penaunce. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. xxi. 394 Ich..Boþe aquyte and aquykye · þat was aqueynt þorw synne. c 1450 Merlin 87 Vlfyn is somewhat a-quytte of the synne that he hadde in the love makinge. 1528 More Heresyes iii. Wks. 1557, 211/2 Than may the iudges acquite and assoyle the defendaunt. 1611 Bible Job x. 14 Thou wilt not acquite me from mine iniquitie. 1620 Sanderson Serm., Ad Pop. i. iii. (1674) 137, I hope..to acquit his Holiness and Truth and Justice from all sinister imputations. 1759 Robertson Hist. Scotl. I. iv. 311 The jury under these circumstances could do nothing else but acquit him. 1833 H. Martineau Loom & Lugger ii. v. 108 To acquit him wholly of the charge. 1880 M{supc}Carthy Hist. Own Time IV. liii. 149 Three others were acquitted after a long trial. |
† 12. refl. To discharge, free, deliver, rid, oneself (of any thing). Obs.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce xviii. 74 Bot we acquyt vs vtirly, That nane of vs will stand to ficht. 1489 Caxton Fayt of Armes iii. xxiii. 222 He is lyke his seruant and in hys mercy, unto tyme that he haue acquytted hym self of hys raunson. 1616 Surflet & Markh. Countrey Farme 687 The Hart..vvhen hee seeth himselfe neere pursued by the dogges, indeuoureth and bestirreth himselfe how to acquite and rid himselfe of them. 1671 Milton Samson 896 Gods unable To acquit themselves, and prosecute their foes But by ungodly deeds. 1711 F. Fuller Medic. Gymnast. 5 Observe how Nature acquits her self of what we commonly call a Cold. 1753 Richardson Grandison 22 (1781) III. 215 What shall I do to acquit myself of the addresses of this Count of Belvedere? |
13. To discharge oneself (of duty or responsibility). Hence, simply, To discharge the duties of one's position, perform one's part on any occasion.
| c 1386 Chaucer Clerk's T. 880 Ther can no man in humblesse him acquite As woman can. c 1450 Merlin 39 Ye were foles in youre art, that wolde not a-quite you as trewe men. 1475 Caxton Jason 116 The daye of thy promesse is passed thou acquitest the not. 1523 Ld. Berners Froissart I. cxi. 133 Ye knowe right well howe I haue aquyt myselfe. 1594 Shakes. Rich. III, v. v. 3 Couragious Richmond, Well hast thou acquit thee. 1662 Fuller Worthies II. 488 (1840) Those flowers carry it clearly, which acquit themselves to a double sense, sight and smell. 1776 Gibbon Decl. & F. I. x. 203 They acquitted themselves of their important charge with vigilance and success. 1863 Thackeray Pendennis xlvii. 412 Lady Mirabel..in a common note of invitation or acceptance acquitted herself very genteelly. 1878 Simpson Sch. Shaks. I. 94 He was present and acquitted himself like a man. |
† b. With complement: To perform one's part as, prove oneself. Obs.
| 1642 Fuller Holy & Prof. St. ii. xvi. 110 Hard, rugged and dull natures of youth acquit themselves afterwards the jewells of the countrey. 1655 ― Ch. Hist. ix. 174 The Queen..acquitted herself more then Woman in her masculine resolutions. |
▪ II. acquit, ppl. a. arch.
(əˈkwɪt)
[Short for acquited, acquitted, on analogy of pa. pples. like hit, lit, hid. See quit.]
Acquitted, cleared, set free.
| 1393 Gower Conf. I. 362 Nought as he wolde, it was acquit. 1460–4 Past. Lett. 434, II. 81, I am ryght ille aqwyt. 1551 Robinson More's Utopia 15, I am herin clerely acquytte and discharged of all blame. 1674 Gov. of Tongue §6, 137 We may then..see him we censur'd acquit, and our selves doom'd. 1875 Blackmore A. Lorraine I. xi. 88 Hilary Lorraine was quite acquit of Oxford leading-strings. |
▪ III. † aˈcquit, n. Obs.
[f. the vb.; cf. Fr. acquit, OFr. acquit, acuit, f. aquiter to acquit.]
The act of acquitting; discharge; guarantee; acquittance, acquittal.
| 1475 Caxton Jason 33 Madame I haue seruid you as well as to me is possible..for thacquite of chiualerye. a 1521 Helyas in Thoms Prose Rom. (1858) III. 135 The sayd abbot..demaunded of him familiarly the sauf conduyt and acquite for the countreys and landes of beyonde the sea. 1738 Warburton Div. Legat. I. 291 note, Faintly, and only by way of acquit. |