# acquit

> English word · Verb · IPA /əˈkwɪt/ · frequency rank #48,042

## Definitions
1. To declare or find innocent or not guilty.
2. To discharge (for example, a claim or debt); to clear off, to pay off; to fulfil.
3. to discharge, release, or set free from a burden, duty, liability, or obligation, or from an accusation or charge.
4. To bear or conduct oneself; to perform one's part.
5. To clear oneself.
6. past participle of acquit.
7. To release, to rescue, to set free.
8. To pay for; to atone for.

## Etymology
From Middle English aquī̆ten (“to give in return; to pay, repay; to redeem (a pledge, security), to make good (a promise); to make amends; to relieve of an obligation; to acquit, clear of a charge; to free; to deprive of; to do one's part, acquit oneself; to act, behave (in a certain way)”), from Old French aquiter (“to act, do”) and Medieval Latin acquitāre (“to settle a debt”), from ad- (“to”) + quitare (“to free”), equivalent to a- + quit. Doublet of acquiet; also related to quit, quiet and acquiesce.

## Easily confused with
- **acuity** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/acquit-vs-acuity)
- **Asquith** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/acquit-vs-asquith)
- **acquire** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/acquire-vs-acquit)

## Common misspellings (8)
`accquit`, `acqiut`, `acqquit`, `acquitt`, `acquti`, `acuqit`, `aqcuit`, `caquit`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/acquit