acquit

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
acquit/əˈkwɪt/

▶verb (acquits, acquitting, acquitted)

• 1 formally declare (someone) not guilty of a criminal charge.

• 2 (acquit oneself) conduct oneself or perform in a specified way: the goalkeeper acquitted himself well.

  ■ (acquit oneself of) archaic discharge (a duty or responsibility).

– origin ME: from OFr. acquiter, from med. L. acquitare ‘pay a debt’, from ad- ‘to’ + quitare ‘set free’.