What does acquitting mean?
'Acquitting' is the present participle of the verb 'acquit', a term rooted in formal legal procedure meaning to declare a defendant not guilty of the charges brought against them. When a jury or judge acquits someone, they are making an official judgment that the prosecution has failed to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt — a decision distinct from merely dropping charges or granting a pardon. Beyond the courtroom, the verb carries a second, older sense: to conduct or bear oneself in a particular way, usually in testing circumstances. To say someone 'acquitted herself well' is to praise her performance under pressure, whether on the battlefield, the stage, or the negotiating table. This reflexive use lends the word a dignified, slightly literary flavor. Derived from Latin through Old French, 'acquit' shares its ancestry with words like 'quiet' and 'quite', all tracing back to a root meaning 'to settle or make free'. Its noun form, 'acquittal', names the formal act itself.
verb (present participle of 'acquit')The present participle of 'acquit': to formally declare a defendant not guilty of a charge in a court of law. It also means to conduct or bear oneself in a specified way, especially under pressure.
- To formally declare a defendant not guilty of a criminal charge in a court of law.
- To behave, perform, or conduct oneself in a particular manner, especially in a difficult situation (as in 'acquitting oneself well').
"After three days of deliberation, the jury returned a verdict acquitting the defendant of all charges."
"The judge instructed the jury that failing to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt must result in their acquitting the accused."
"Though new to diplomacy, she was widely praised for acquitting herself with skill during the tense negotiations."
When you 'acquit yourself well,' no courtroom is required — this legal verb doubles as a compliment for anyone who performs admirably under pressure.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of acquitting
'Acquitting' derives from the verb 'acquit', which entered English in the Middle Ages from Old French 'aquiter', itself built on the Late Latin 'acquietare', meaning 'to settle or set at rest'. That Latin verb combines 'ad-' ('to') with 'quietare' ('to make quiet'), from 'quietus' — the same root that gives English 'quiet', 'quite', and 'requite'. Originally the word carried broad senses of settling debts or freeing oneself from obligations before narrowing toward its dominant modern legal meaning of declaring innocence.
Related word forms
How acquitting is actually used
'Acquitting' belongs primarily to formal legal register. The reflexive sense — 'acquit oneself' — always takes a reflexive pronoun and typically appears with an adverb such as 'well', 'badly', or 'honorably'. In British law, verdicts of 'not guilty' are formally recorded as acquittals; in American usage, juries rather than judges most often deliver them.
Easily confused with acquitting
'Quitting' means leaving or giving up something, while 'acquitting' refers to clearing someone of a legal charge or how one performs under pressure.