acquit

/əˈkwɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /əˈkwɪt/ (ame, ipa) · /ə-ˈkwit/ (ame, mw)

acquit — 動詞

  • acquitpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • acquitshe / she / it
  • acquittedpast simple
  • acquitting-ing form

1. to officially decide in a court of law that a person is not guilty of the crime

1.動詞及物B2
釋義

宣判無罪

法院正式裁定被告無罪

to officially decide in a court of law that a person is not guilty of the crime they were accused of, and therefore set them free from that accusation

例句

The jury acquitted Ms. Okonkwo of all fraud charges after a three-week trial.

陪審團宣判 Okonkwo 女士的所有詐欺罪名不成立，此時審判已進行了三週。

acquit + person + of + charge

Dr. Hernández was acquitted on both counts of embezzlement when the prosecution failed to produce solid evidence.

由於檢方無法提供確鑿證據，Hernández 醫師被宣判兩項侵占指控均不成立。

passive: be acquitted on [counts/charges]

同義詞
  • clear

    less formal, can be used for non-legal situations too (e.g. 'cleared of suspicion')

  • exonerate

    broader in scope — can refer to clearing someone from blame by any authority, not only a court; more formal

  • vindicate

    carries a stronger sense that someone was proven right after doubt, not limited to criminal charges

反義詞
  • convict

    the direct opposite — finding someone guilty in court

文法句型

acquit + person + of + crime

be acquitted of + crime

acquit + person + on + charge

用法筆記

Frequently used in the passive voice (be acquitted of). The person acquitted is the object of the active verb or the subject of the passive verb. The crime appears after the preposition of.

常見錯誤

❌The jury exonerated him of the crime in court.
✅The jury acquitted him of the crime in court.
💡'Exonerate' is broader (clearing someone from blame generally), while 'acquit' is the specific legal term for a court verdict.

2. to perform in a particular way in a challenging situation, especially when peopl

2.動詞及物C1
釋義

表現（出色）

在困難情境中表現出某種水準

to perform in a particular way in a challenging situation, especially when people are watching or judging you — for example, a student handling a tough exam, or a team playing under high pressure

例句

Theo acquitted himself well in his first public speech, despite having very little time to prepare.

Theo 在他第一次公開演講中表現出色，儘管準備時間非常有限。

acquit + reflexive + adverb (oneself well)

The Watanabe family acquitted themselves bravely during the earthquake evacuation, helping their neighbours reach safety.

渡邊一家在地震撤離過程中表現勇敢，幫助鄰居們到達安全地點。

同義詞
  • perform

    simpler and less formal; does not need a reflexive pronoun (e.g. 'performed well')

  • conduct oneself

    similar register and reflexive pattern; focuses more on behaviour than on handling pressure

文法句型

acquit + reflexive pronoun + adverb

acquit oneself well

acquit oneself admirably

用法筆記

This sense always requires a reflexive pronoun (myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves) followed by an adverb that evaluates the behaviour. The most common adverb partner is well. The construction is formal and more typical of written British English than everyday conversation.

常見錯誤

❌He acquitted good in the match.
✅He acquitted himself well in the match.
💡The reflexive pronoun (himself) is grammatically required, and the modifier must be an adverb (well), not an adjective (good).
❌The team acquitted well.
✅The team acquitted itself well.
💡The reflexive pronoun (itself) cannot be dropped.