abet

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See also: авет

English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Middle English abetten, abette, from Old French abeter (“to entice”), from a- (“to”) + beter (“hound on, urge, to bait”), from either Middle Dutch bētan (“incite”), or from Old Norse beita (“to cause to bite, bait, incite”)[1], from Proto-Germanic *baitijaną (“to cause to bite”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeyd- (“to split”). Cognate with Icelandic beita (“to set dogs on", "to feed”).

Pronunciation[edit]

Verb[edit]

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

  1. (obsolete, transitive) To urge on, stimulate (a person to do) something desirable. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) (1390) until the early 17th century.][2]
  2. (transitive) To incite; to assist or encourage by aid or countenance in crime. [First attested from around (1350 to 1470).][3]
    • 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.
  3. (transitive, archaic) To support, countenance, maintain, uphold, or aid any good cause, opinion, or action; to maintain. [First attested in the late 16th century.][3]
    • 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 back up one's forecast of a doubtful issue, by staking money, etc., to bet.

Quotations[edit]

Synonyms[edit]

Derived terms[edit]

Translations[edit]

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Noun[edit]

abet (plural abets)

  1. (obsolete) Fraud or cunning. [First attested from 1150 to 1350.][3]
  2. (obsolete) An act of abetting; of helping; of giving aid. [First attested from 1350 to 1470.][3]

Anagrams[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Elliott K. Dobbie, C. William Dunmore, Robert K. Barnhart, et al. (editors), Chambers Dictionary of Etymology (Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2004 [1998], ISBN 0550142304), page 2
  2. ^ Elliott K. Dobbie, C. William Dunmore, Robert K. Barnhart, et al. (editors), Chambers Dictionary of Etymology (Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2004 [1998], ISBN 0550142304), page 6
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Lesley Brown (editor), The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, 5th edition (Oxford University Press, 2003 [1933], ISBN 978-0-19-860575-7), page 4

Danish[edit]

Verb[edit]

abet

  1. past participle of abe

Lombard[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Latin habitus (“habit, appearance”).

Noun[edit]

abet m

  1. religious habit (clothing)
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