ABET

abet

(verb) assist or encourage, usually in some wrongdoing

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology

Verb

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

(obsolete, transitive) To urge on, stimulate (a person to do) something desirable. [from end of 14th century to early 17th century]

(transitive) To incite; to assist or encourage by aid or countenance in crime. [from c. 1350-1470]

(transitive, archaic) To support, countenance, maintain, uphold, or aid (any good cause, opinion, or action); to maintain. [from late 16th century]

(obsolete) To back up one's forecast of a doubtful issue, by staking money, etc, to bet.

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, promote, sanction, advocate, embolden, favor, cooperate with

Antonyms

• baffle

• confound

• contradict

• counteract

• denounce

• deter

• disapprove

• disconcert

• discourage

• dissuade

• expose

• frustrate

• hinder

• impede

• obstruct

• thwart

Noun

abet (plural abets)

(obsolete) Fraud or cunning. [mid-12th century to mid-14th century]

(obsolete) An act of abetting; of helping; of giving aid. [from c. 1350-1470]

Anagrams

• Bate, Beta, Teba, bate, beat, beta

Source: Wiktionary

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A*bet", v.t. [imp. & p.p. Abetted; p.pr. & vb.n. Abetting.] Etym: [OF. abeter; a (L. ad) + beter to bait (as a bear), fr. Icel. beita to set dogs on, to feed, originally, to cause to bite, fr. Icel. bita to bite, hence to bait, to incite. See Bait, Bet.]

1. To instigate or encourage by aid or countenance; -- used in a bad sense of persons and acts; as, to abet an ill-doer; to abet one in his wicked courses; to abet vice; to abet an insurrection. "The whole tribe abets the villany." South. Would not the fool abet the stealth, Who rashly thus exposed his wealth Gay.

2. To support, uphold, or aid; to maintain; -- in a good sense. [Obs.]. Our duty is urged, and our confidence abetted. Jer. Taylor.

3. (Law)

Definition: To contribute, as an assistant or instigator, to the commission of an offense.

Syn.

– To incite; instigate; set on; egg on; foment; advocate; countenance; encourage; second; uphold; aid; assist; support; sustain; back; connive at.

A*bet", n. Etym: [OF. abet, fr. abeter.]

Definition: Act of abetting; aid. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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