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Acquitted vs Justified - What's the difference?

acquitted | justified |

As verbs the difference between acquitted and justified

is that acquitted is (acquit) while justified is (justify).

As an adjective justified is

having a justification.

acquitted

English

Verb

(head)
  • (acquit)

  • acquit

    English

    Alternative forms

    * acquite (archaic)

    Verb

  • To declare or find not guilty; innocent.
  • * '>citation
  • To set free, release or discharge from an obligation, duty, liability, burden, or from an accusation or charge.
  • The jury acquitted the prisoner ''of'' the charge.
  • * 1775 , , The Duenna
  • His poverty, can you acquit him of that?
  • * 1837 , , “Lord Bacon” in The Edinburgh Review , July 1837
  • If he [Bacon] was convicted, it was because it was impossible to acquit him without offering the grossest outrage to justice and common sense.
  • (obsolete, rare) To pay for; to atone for
  • * , line 1071
  • Till life to death acquit my forced offence.
  • To discharge, as a claim or debt; to clear off; to pay off; to requite, to fulfill.
  • * , 1200
  • Aquyte him wel, for goddes love,’ quod he;
  • * 1640 , , Tasso
  • Midst foes (as champion of the faith) he ment / That palme or cypress should his painees acquite .
  • * 1836 , , Orations I-382
  • I admit it to be not so much the duty as the privilege of an American citizen to acquit this obligation to the memory of his fathers with discretion and generosity.
  • * 1844 , ” in Essays: second series
  • We see young men who owe us a new world, so readily and lavishly they promise, but they never acquit the debt; they die young and dodge the account: or if they live, they lose themselves in the crowd.
  • (reflexive) To clear one’s self.
  • * , III-ii
  • Pray God he may acquit him of suspicion!
  • (reflexive) To bear or conduct one’s self; to perform one’s part.
  • The soldier acquitted himself well in battle.
    The orator acquitted himself very poorly.
  • * November 2 2014 , Daniel Taylor, " Sergio Agüero strike wins derby for Manchester City against 10-man United," guardian.co.uk
  • Van Gaal responded by replacing Adnan Januzaj with Carrick and, in fairness, the emergency centre-half did exceedingly well given that he has not played since May. McNair also acquitted himself well after Rojo was injured sliding into a challenge with Martín Demichelis
  • * 1766 , , The vicar of Wakefield , xiv
  • Though this was one of the first mercantile transactions of my life, yet I had no doubt about acquitting myself with reputation.
  • (obsolete) To release, set free, rescue.
  • * , I-vii-52
  • Till I have acquit your captive Knight.
  • (archaic)
  • * , I-iii
  • I am glad I am so acquit of this tinder box.

    Synonyms

    * absolve * clear * exonerate * innocent * exculpate * release * discharge

    Derived terms

    * acquital, acquittal

    Antonyms

    * (to declare innocent) condemn, convict

    justified

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Having a justification.
  • ''The act was fully justified .

    Antonyms

    * unjustified

    Verb

    (head)
  • (justify)