Definition of "acquit"
acquit
verb
third-person singular simple present acquits, present participle acquitting, simple past acquitted, past participle acquitted or (archaic) acquit
(transitive) To declare or find innocent or not guilty.
Quotations
[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, 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, […]; 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, 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.
1818, [Mary Shelley], chapter VII, in Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. […], volume I, London: […] [Macdonald and Son] for Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor, & Jones, 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, 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, […], page 294
(transitive) To discharge (for example, a claim or debt); to clear off, to pay off; to fulfil.
Quotations
Although it pleaſed you this other night (occasion by me unhappily miniſtred) to intertaine time with an ordinarie profeſſion of love, yet (maſter Rinaldo) you doe both me and your ſelfe great injurie to continue your needleſſe labour with ſuch importunancie to me. […] Thus muche (being your firſte attempt) I thought it good to anſwere, leaſt you ſhould think with needleſſe niceneſſe I acquited your courteſies.
1576, George Whetstone, “The Castle of Delight: […]”, in The Rocke of Regard, […], London: […] [H. Middleton] for Robert Waley; republished in J[ohn] P[ayne] Collier, editor, The Rocke of Regard, […] (Illustrations of Early English Poetry; vol. 2, no. 2), London: Privately printed, page 48
Midst foes (as champion of the faith) he ment / That palme or cypress should his paines acquite; […]
1594, Torquato Tasso, translated by R[ichard] C[arew], Godfrey of Bulloigne, or The Recouerie of Hierusalem: […], London: Imprinted by Iohn Windet for Christopher Hunt of Exceter; quoted in “Art. III. Godfrey of Bulloigne, or the Recouerie of Hierusalem. […]”, in [Henry Southern], editor, The Retrospective Review, volume III, part I, London: Charles and Henry Baldwin, […], 1821, page 45
[Et ſi feoffati illi warrantum, vel medium not habeant.] That is to say, if they have neither one to warrant by ſpeciall graunt, nor any meſne by tenure which ought to acquit them, tunc omnes illi feoffati pro portione ſua contribuant, &c.
1642, Edw[ard] Coke, “Statutum de Marlebridge, Editum 52. H. 3. Anno Gratiæ 1267”, in The Second Part of the Institutes of the Laws of England. […], London: […] M[iles] Flesher, and R[obert] Young, for E[phraim] D[awson], R[ichard] M[eighen], W[illiam] L[ee] and D[aniel] P[akeman], chapter IX, page 120
[…] 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. […] [I]t is not the less true, that there are many ties, which ought to bind our feelings to the land of our fathers. It is characterstic of a magnanimous people to do justice to the merits of every other nation; especially of a nation with whom we have been at variance and are now in amity; and most especially of a nation of common blood.
1833 July 4, Edward Everett, An Address Delivered before the Citizens of Worcester on the Fourth of July, 1833, Boston, Mass.: Joseph T[inker] Buckingham, pages 11–12
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.
1844, R[alph] W[aldo] Emerson, “Essay II. Experience.”, in Essays: Second Series, Boston, Mass.: James Munroe and Company, page 56
(transitive) Followed by of (and formerly by from): to discharge, release, or set free from a burden, duty, liability, or obligation, or from an accusation or charge.
Quotations
Jerome. Object to Antonio? I have said it; his poverty, can you acquit him of that? / Ferd[inand]. Sir, I own he is not over rich; but he is of as ancient and honourable a family, as any in the kingdom.
1775 November 21 (first performance), Richard Brinsley Sheridan, “The Duenna; a Comic Opera, in Three Acts; […]”, in [Elizabeth] Inchbald, editor, The British Theatre; […], volume XIX, London: Printed for Longman, Hurst, Rees, and Orme, […], published 1808, act II, scene iii, page 37
This, madam, is a faithful narrative of every event in which we have been concerned together; and if you do not absolutely reject it as false, you will, I hope, acquit me henceforth of cruelty towards Mr. Wickham.
1813 January 27, [Jane Austen], chapter XII, in Pride and Prejudice: […], volume II, London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […], page 154
(reflexive) To bear or conduct oneself; to perform one's part.
Quotations
Though this was one of the firſt mercantile tranſactions of my life, yet I had no doubt about acquitting myſelf with reputation.
1766, [Oliver Goldsmith], “Fresh Mortifications, or a Demonstration that Seeming Calamities may be Real Blessings”, in The Vicar of Wakefield: […], volume I, Salisbury, Wiltshire: […] B. Collins, for F[rancis] Newbery, […]; reprinted London: Elliot Stock, 1885, page 132
[Paddy] McNair also acquitted himself well after [Marcos] Rojo was injured sliding into a challenge with Martín Demichelis […]
2014 November 2, Daniel Taylor, “Sergio Agüero strike wins derby for Manchester City against 10-man United”, in The Guardian, London, archived from the original on 2 July 2018
Quotations
God forbid any Malice ſhould preuayle, / That faultleſſe may condemne a Noble man: / Pray God he may acquit him of ſuſpicion.
1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act III, scene ii], page 133, column 2
(transitive, archaic) past participle of acquit.
Quotations
Well I am glad I am ſo acquit of this tinder Boy.[sic – meaning Box] / His ſtealth was too open, his filching was like / An vnskilfull ſinger, he kept not time.
c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, […] [T]he Merrie Wiues of Windsor. […] (First Quarto), London: […] T[homas] C[reede] for Arthur Ihonson, […], published 1602, [Act I, scene iii]