| 释义 |
▪ 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).
c1230Ancren Riwle 126 Þet is ure raunsun þet we schulen areimen us mide, & acwiten ure dettes touward ure Louerd. 1297R. Glouc. 565 To & fifti þousund pound, al in one daye..God wite in o dai wan it aquited be. 1393Langl. P. Pl. C. xvi. 12 Yf he quike by-quethe hem auht · oþer wolde helpe aquite here dettes. c1400Rom. Rose 6744 If his wynnyng be so lite, That his labour wole not acquyte Sufficiantly al his lyvyng. 1475Caxton Jason 67 It behoueth that I acquite myn avowe. 1598B. Yong tr. Diana 51 The debt..which..we are neuer able to acquite. a1642Quarles 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. 1725Pope Odyss. xx. 362 This gift acquits the dear respect I owe. 1770Junius Lett. xl. 204 An obligation he was..unable to acquit. 1829I. Taylor Enthus. §7. 146 (1867) A responsibility that can never be absolutely acquitted. 1832Sismondi 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.
c1530Ld. Berners Arthur (1814) 175 The whiche knyghte..hath aquyted the Porte Noyre, and acheued all alone the aduentures of that place. 1592Davies in Chalmers Eng. Poets V. 86/2 Nor can a judge his office well acquit If he possess'd of either party be. a1670Hacket 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.
c1314Guy Warw. 30 Here is thine hors, Y giue it te, When Ichaue nede, aquite it me. 1393Gower Conf. III. 352 Thus wolde I for my last word beseche, That thou my love aquite, as I deserve. c1440Morte Arthur 48 (1819) Welle acquyteste thou it me, That I haue worshipped any knyght. 1529Wolsey in Ellis Orig. Lett. i. 104. II. 9 And as my poore shal increase, so shal I not fayle to acquyte your kyndnes. 1535A Goodly Prymer (1834) 60 Make us that we acquit not evil for evil. c1630Jackson Creed vii. xviii. Wks. VII. 150 Some reward sufficient to acquit or countervail his pains. 1726Gay 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.
1593Shakes. Lucr. 1071 Till life to death acquit my forced offence. 1598B. Yong tr. Diana 25 What haue I done, that I haue not acquitted, Or what excesse, that is not amply paied? 1600Heywood 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.
1649Selden 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.
c1380Sir Ferumb. 3084 Þan schalt þov him acquyte wel? of al ys shrewidnesse. Ibid. 3298 Ofte sche doþ me gyle, Y hope to Mahoun þat ȝute y schel? ones a-quyte hur wyle. c1425Wyntown Cron. ix. x. 70 Thar-of I dare the welle acqwyte. c1525Skelton Poems 180 Scrybbyl thou, scrybyll thou, rayle or wryght, Wright what thou wylte, I xall the aquyte. 1580Tusser Husb. vii. 16 So many as looue me, and vse me aright, With treasure and pleasure, I richly acquite. 1596Shakes. 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.
a1300Floriz & 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. c1300K. 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.
c1230Ancren Riwle 394 Ne telleð me him god feolawe þet leið his wed ine Giwerie uorto acwiten ut his fere? c1380Sir Ferumb. 3453 He schal be kept, by swete iesous, For to aquytye on of ous, If he wer take there. 1596Spenser 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.
1375Barbour Bruce xix. 237 He send and acquyt hym all planly, And gaf the trewis wp oppinly. c1386Chaucer Friar's T. 299 Pay anoon, let se, Twelf pens to me, and I the wil acquite. 1630Prynne 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.
1463J. Baret in Bury Wills 21 (1850) To a qwyte the said Seynt Marie preest of the taske Abbott's cope, and alle maner charges. 1574tr. Littleton's Tenures 26 a, Theye were acquited agaynste theire lorde of al manner of services. c1627Bp. Hall Dauids Ps. Metaphr. vii, From bloudy spight Of all my raging enemies Oh! let thy mercy me acquite. 1654Jer. Taylor Real Pres. 27 To acquit us from our search after this question in Scripture. 1696in Col. Rec. Penn. I. 498 Desired of the Governor to be acquitted of his assistance⁓shipp. 1701Swift Cont. Nobles & Com. Wks. 1755, II. i. 28 To be acquitted of all their debts. 1853Arabian 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).
c1386Chaucer Pars. T. 105 A man may aquyte himself byforn God by penaunce. 1393Langl. P. Pl. C. xxi. 394 Ich..Boþe aquyte and aquykye · þat was aqueynt þorw synne. c1450Merlin 87 Vlfyn is somewhat a-quytte of the synne that he hadde in the love makinge. 1528More Heresyes iii. Wks. 1557, 211/2 Than may the iudges acquite and assoyle the defendaunt. 1611Bible Job x. 14 Thou wilt not acquite me from mine iniquitie. 1620Sanderson Serm., Ad Pop. i. iii. (1674) 137, I hope..to acquit his Holiness and Truth and Justice from all sinister imputations. 1759Robertson Hist. Scotl. I. iv. 311 The jury under these circumstances could do nothing else but acquit him. 1833H. Martineau Loom & Lugger ii. v. 108 To acquit him wholly of the charge. 1880McCarthy 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.
1375Barbour Bruce xviii. 74 Bot we acquyt vs vtirly, That nane of vs will stand to ficht. 1489Caxton 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. 1616Surflet & 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. 1671Milton Samson 896 Gods unable To acquit themselves, and prosecute their foes But by ungodly deeds. 1711F. Fuller Medic. Gymnast. 5 Observe how Nature acquits her self of what we commonly call a Cold. 1753Richardson 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.
c1386Chaucer Clerk's T. 880 Ther can no man in humblesse him acquite As woman can. c1450Merlin 39 Ye were foles in youre art, that wolde not a-quite you as trewe men. 1475Caxton Jason 116 The daye of thy promesse is passed thou acquitest the not. 1523Ld. Berners Froissart I. cxi. 133 Ye knowe right well howe I haue aquyt myselfe. 1594Shakes. Rich. III, v. v. 3 Couragious Richmond, Well hast thou acquit thee. 1662Fuller Worthies II. 488 (1840) Those flowers carry it clearly, which acquit themselves to a double sense, sight and smell. 1776Gibbon Decl. & F. I. x. 203 They acquitted themselves of their important charge with vigilance and success. 1863Thackeray Pendennis xlvii. 412 Lady Mirabel..in a common note of invitation or acceptance acquitted herself very genteelly. 1878Simpson 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.
1642Fuller 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.
1393Gower Conf. I. 362 Nought as he wolde, it was acquit. 1460–4Past. Lett. 434, II. 81, I am ryght ille aqwyt. 1551Robinson More's Utopia 15, I am herin clerely acquytte and discharged of all blame. 1674Gov. of Tongue §6, 137 We may then..see him we censur'd acquit, and our selves doom'd. 1875Blackmore 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.
1475Caxton Jason 33 Madame I haue seruid you as well as to me is possible..for thacquite of chiualerye. a1521Helyas 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. 1738Warburton Div. Legat. I. 291 note, Faintly, and only by way of acquit. |