Acquit Definition & Meaning | Britannica Dictionary (original) (raw)

Britannica Dictionary definition of ACQUIT

[+ object]

:

to decide that someone is not guilty of a crime

• The jury acquitted the defendant because there wasn't enough evidence to convict him of the crime.
• She was acquitted of the murder of her husband. = She was acquitted of murdering her husband.

— compare 1convict

acquit yourself

:

to act or behave in a specified way

— used to express approval or (less commonly) disapproval of someone's behavior or performance

• The soldiers acquitted themselves well/honorably in battle.
• The young actress acquitted herself extremely well/capably in her first film.
• He acquitted himself poorly in handling the controversy.