abet

See also авет

English

Etymology

From Middle English abetten, from Old French abeter, from a- + beter (“to bait an animal”), of Germanic origin, from Old Norse beita (“to cause to bite, bait, incite”), from Proto-Germanic *baitijanan (“to cause to bite”), from Proto-Indo-European *bheid- (“to split”). Cognate with Icelandic beita (“to set dogs on", "to feed”).

Alternate etymology traces the Middle English and Old French words through Old English *ābǣtan (“to hound on”), from ā- + bǣtan (“to bait”), from the same Proto-Germanic source.

See also bait, bet.

Pronunciation

• (RP) IPA: /əˈbɛt/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛt

Verb

abet (third-person singular simple present abets, present participle abetting, simple past and past participle abetted)

1. (transitive) To assist or encourage by aid or countenance, especially 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.

2. (transitive, obsolete except negatively) To support, countenance, maintain, uphold, or aid any cause, opinion, or action; to maintain.
3. (transitive) To support, uphold, or aid; to maintain.
   • 1835, Jeremy Taylor, George Rust, The whole works of the Right Rev. Jeremy Taylor:

     Our duty is urged, and our confidence abetted.

4. (obsolete) To urge on, stimulate (a person to do something) - first known use 1390
5. (obsolete) To back up one's forecast of a doubtful issue, by staking money, etc., to bet.

Quotations

• For examples of the usage of this term see the citations page.

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

Translations

to assist or encourage in crime

Bulgarian: подбуждам (bg), подстрекавам (bg) Dutch: aansporen (nl), aanmoedigen (nl), ophitsen (nl) Finnish: yllyttää (fi), avustaa (fi) French: encourager (fr) German: ermutigen (de), aufhetzen (de), anstiften (de) Interlingua: incitar (ia), incorariar (ia) Italian: favoreggiare (it), incoraggiare (it), istigare (it)

Persian: همدستی کردن (fa) (hamdasti kardan) Portuguese: incitar (pt), instigar (pt) Russian: подстрекать (ru) (podstrekát') Spanish: incitar (es) Vietnamese: xúi bẩy (vi), xúi giục (vi), khích (vi)

to support, uphold, or aid

Bulgarian: поощрявам, съдействувам (bg) Dutch: bijstaan (nl), ondersteunen (nl) Finnish: tukea (fi), ylläpitää (fi) German: stützen (de), helfen (de) Interlingua: adjutar (ia)

Italian: sostenere (it), Portuguese: assistir (pt), ajudar (pt) Russian: поддерживать (ru) (poddérživat') Spanish: ayudar (es) Vietnamese: tiếp tay (vi)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.

Translations to be checked

Norwegian: tilskynde, hjelpe

Swedish: medverka, bistå

Noun

abet (plural abets)

1. (obsolete) An act of abetting; of helping; of giving aid.

Shorthand

• Gregg (Version: Centennial,Series 90,DJS,Simplified,Anniversary,Pre-Anniversary): a - b - e - t

Anagrams

• bate
• beat
• beta, Beta

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Lombard

Etymology

From Latin habitus (“habit, appearance”).

Noun

abet m.

1. religious habit (clothing)

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Danish

Verb

abet

1. past participle of abe