acquittal
Other forms: acquittals
Acquittal is a legal word that defendants love to hear because it means "not guilty."
In the 15th Century, an acquittal referred to the payment of a debt, but now it means being freed of charges against you in court. In fact, now the word is really used only in a legal sense. It's from the Latin ad "to" plus quitare meaning "set free." Getting an acquittal is still like being set free. Free to do what you want, any old time! So now the only time you'll need the word is in court, and it's one word you hope to hear if you've been busted.
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a judgment of not guiltyantonyms:conviction(criminal law) a final judgment of guilty in a criminal case and the punishment that is imposedtype of:final decision, final judgmenta judgment disposing of the case before the court; after the judgment (or an appeal from it) is rendered all that remains is to enforce the judgment
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Vocabulary lists containing acquittal
The trial is over, and now the members of the jury hold a man's fate in their hands. Nearly everyone is convinced the defendant is guilty—everyone except Juror 8. He tries to convince the other jurors to acknowledge their preconceptions and examine the case with fresh eyes.
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Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his landmark "I Have A Dream" speech at the March on Washington on August 28th, 1963. In this article about the 50th anniversary of the event, journalist Trip Gabriel reflects on the speech, its legacy, and its relevance to the present day. Read the full text of the article here.