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, trans. Diana, 51. The debt … which … we are neuer able to acquite.
a. 1642. Quarles, Samson, in Farr’s 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. 1570. 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. Shaks., Lucr., 1071. Till life to death acquit my forced offence.
1598. B. Yong, trans. 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; of al ys shrewidnesse. Ibid., 3298. Ofte sche doþ me gyle, Y hope to Mahoun þat ȝute y schel; 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.
1595. Shaks., Merch. Ven., V. i. 138. Por. For as I heare he was much bound for you. Ant. No more then I am wel acquitted of. Ibid. (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, Freres 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. trans. 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 assistanceshipp.
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, Persones 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, I. 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 himn.
1833. Ht. Martineau, Loom & Lugger, II. v. 108. To acquit him wholly of the charge.
1880. McCarthy, 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. Surfl. & 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, Clerkes 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. Shaks., 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. Ibid. (1655), Ch. Hist. IX. 174. The Queen … acquitted herself more then Woman in her masculine resolutions.
