What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Abet vs Abut - What's the difference?

abet | abut |

In transitive terms the difference between abet and abut

is that abet is to incite; to assist or encourage by aid or countenance in crime while abut is to border upon; be next to; abut on; be adjacent to; to support by an abutment.

As verbs the difference between abet and abut

is that abet is to urge on, stimulate (a person to do) something desirable while abut is to touch by means of a mutual border, edge or end; to border on; to lie adjacent; to project; to terminate; to be contiguous; to meet, of an estate, country, etc.

As a noun abet

is fraud or cunning.

abet

English

Verb

(abett)
  • (obsolete) To urge on, stimulate (a person to do) something desirable.
  • To incite; to assist or encourage by aid or countenance in crime.
  • * 1823 , Ringan Gilhaize, The covenanters, by the author of Annals of the parish :
    • Those who would exalt themselves by abetting the strength of the Godless, and the wrength of the oppressors.
  • (archaic) To support, countenance, maintain, uphold, or aid any good cause, opinion, or action; to maintain.
  • * 1835 , Jeremy Taylor, George Rust, The whole works of the Right Rev. Jeremy Taylor :
    • Our duty is urged, and our confidence abetted .
  • (obsolete) To back up one's forecast of a doubtful issue, by staking money, etc., to bet.

    • Quotations

    * (English Citations of "abet")

    Synonyms

    * (to instigate or encourage by aid or countenance) incite, instigate, set on, egg on, foment, advocate, countenance, encourage, second, uphold, aid, assist, support, sustain, back, connive at.

    Derived terms

    * aid and abet * abetment * abettal * abetter, abettor

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) Fraud or cunning.
  • (obsolete) An act of abetting; of helping; of giving aid.

    • Anagrams

    * * *

    References

    ----

    abut

    English

    Alternative forms

    * abutt

    Verb

    (abutt)
  • To touch by means of a mutual border, edge or end; to border on; to lie adjacent; to project; to terminate; to be contiguous; to meet, of an estate, country, etc.
    • It was a time when Germany still abutted upon Russia.
    His land abuts on the road.
  • To lean against on one end; to end on, of a part of a building or wall.
  • To border upon; be next to; abut on; be adjacent to; to support by an abutment.

    • Usage notes

    * (estate or country) Followed by any of the following words: upon', '''on''' or (obsolete) ' to . * (building) Followed by any of the following words: upon', '''on''', or ' against .

    References

    Anagrams

    * * ----