VINDICATE

justify, vindicate

(verb) show to be right by providing justification or proof; “vindicate a claim”

vindicate

(verb) clear of accusation, blame, suspicion, or doubt with supporting proof; “You must vindicate yourself and fight this libel”

vindicate

(verb) maintain, uphold, or defend; “vindicate the rights of the citizens”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Verb

vindicate (third-person singular simple present vindicates, present participle vindicating, simple past and past participle vindicated)

(transitive) To clear of an accusation, suspicion or criticism.

(transitive) To justify by providing evidence.

(transitive) To maintain or defend (a cause) against opposition.

(transitive) To provide justification for.

(transitive) To lay claim to; to assert a right to; to claim.

(transitive, obsolete) To liberate; to set free; to deliver.

(transitive, obsolete) To avenge; to punish

Source: Wiktionary


Vin"di*cate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Vindicated; p. pr. & vb. n. Vindicating.] Etym: [L. vindicatus, p. p. of vindicare to lay claim to, defend, avenge. See Vengeance.]

1. To lay claim to; to assert a right to; to claim. [R.] Is thine alone the seed that strews the plain The birds of heaven shall vindicate their grain. Pope.

2. To maintain or defend with success; to prove to be valid; to assert convincingly; to sustain against assault; as, to vindicate a right, claim, or title.

3. To support or maintain as true or correct, against denial, censure, or objections; to defend; to justify. When the respondent denies any proposition, the opponent must directly vindicate . . . that proposition. I. Watts. Laugh where we must, be candid where we can, But vindicate the ways of God to man. Pope.

4. To maintain, as a law or a cause, by overthrowing enemies. Milton.

5. To liberate; to set free; to deliver. [Obs.] I am confident he deserves much more That vindicates his country from a tyrant Than he that saves a citizen. Massinger.

6. To avenge; to punish; as, a war to vindicate or punish infidelity. [Obs.] Bacon. God is more powerful to exact subjection and to vindicate rebellion. Bp. Pearson.

Syn.

– To assert; maintain; claim. See Assert.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

10 March 2025

FABLED

(adjective) celebrated in fable or legend; “the fabled Paul Bunyan and his blue ox”; “legendary exploits of Jesse James”


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Coffee Trivia

Some 16th-century Italian clergymen tried to ban coffee because they believed it to be “satanic.” However, Pope Clement VII loved coffee so much that he lifted the ban and had coffee baptized in 1600.

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