acquitting

Verb

acquit (third-person singular simple present acquits, present participle acquitting, simple past acquitted, past participle acquitted or (archaic) acquit)

1. (transitive) To declare or find innocent or not guilty.
   • [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...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

   Synonyms:

   absolve, clear, exculpate, exonerate

   Antonyms:

   condemn, convict, adjudge, damn, deem, doom, judge, sentence

2. (transitive) To discharge (for example, a claim or debt); to clear off, to pay off; to fulfil.
   • 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...1576, George Whetstone, “The Castle of Delight: […]”, in The Rocke of Regard, […], London: […] [H. Middleton] for Robert Waley, →OCLC; republished in J[ohn] P[ayne] Collier, editor, The Rocke of...
3. (transitive) to discharge, release, or set free from a burden, duty, liability, or obligation, or from an accusation or charge.
   • The jury acquitted the prisoner of the charge.
4. (reflexive) To bear or conduct oneself; to perform one's part.
   • The soldier acquitted herself well in battle.
5. (reflexive) To clear oneself.
   • 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...
6. (obsolete, transitive) To release, to rescue, to set free.
   • But be of cheare, and comfort to you take: / For till I haue acquitt your captiue knight, / Aſſure your ſelfe, I will you not forſake.1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto VII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 52, page 104

See all 7 meanings of acquit