acquist

[From the verb.) An acquisition, something gained. "His servants he, with new acquist Of true experience from this great event, With peace and consolation hath dismi ed." Milton : Samson Agonistes, 1,755. ac-quit', * ac-quight ( gh silent), *aoquite, *a-quite, a-quỹ'te (mod. pret. & pa. par, acquitted , formerly also acquit ), v.t. [O. Fr. aquiter ; Fr. acquitter , from Low Lat. ac quieto , from ad =to, quieto to settle.] [QUIT, QUITE.] In Old Scotch it has sometimes the pret. acquate, as in the example worthily acquate himself of the great place and trust."- Acts Chas. I. (ed. 1814), v. 517. L Ordinary Language: 1. To pronounce one innocent of a crime, sin, or fault. [See II. 2.] "God wite in a dai wan it a quited be." IMG:content-0127.png:[blocks in formation] "He exhort it his men to have curage; set asyd al dredour (gif they had ony), remembring the gret spreit and manheid of thair eldaris, that thay may acquite thair deith."- Bellend . Cron., bk. vi., ch. xiii. 3. To set free from obligation. "For, as I hear, he was much bound for you. Ant. No more than I am well acquitted of." Shakesp.: Merchant of Venice, v. L "Let each a token of esteem bestow. This gift acquits the dear respect I owe." Pope : Homer's Ody ey, bk. xx., 361, 362. 4. Reflectively ( with self superadded): To quit (one's self), to behave, to discharge the trust reposed in one. "Marl borough, on this as on every similar occasion, acquitted himself like a valiant and skilful captain." -Macaulay: Hist . Eng ., ch. xiv. II. Law : To set at rest with respect to a claim or an accusation. 1. With respect to a claim: According to the feudal system, if a tenant held lands of a lord mesne, and the mesne over the lord paramour, then the mesne was expected to acquit the tenant of all services except those which he himself claimed for the lands. 2. With respect to an accusation: To pronounce one void of guilt with respect to any charge which has been brought against one; to justify. ac-quit', pa. par. [The same as ACQUITTED (q.v.).] Acquitted, quit. "To be acquit from my continual smart."