abet

[a·bet]

To abet is to help someone do something, usually something wrong. If you were the lookout while your older sister swiped cookies from the cookie jar, you abetted her mischief.

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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.

Verb
assist or encourage, usually in some wrongdoing

v. t.
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.

v. t.
To support, uphold, or aid; to maintain; -- in a good sense.

v. t.
To contribute, as an assistant or instigator, to the commission of an offense.

n.
Act of abetting; aid.

Abet

A*bet" , v.t. [imp. & p.p. Abetted ; p.pr. & vb.n. Abetting.] [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. b'c6ta 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?

2. To support, uphold, or aid; to maintain; -- in a good sense. [Obs.].

Our duty is urged, and our confidence abetted.

3. (Law)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.

Abet

A*bet" , n. [OF. abet, fr. abeter.] Act of abetting; aid. [Obs.] Chaucer.

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.

Act of abetting; aid.

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Usage Examples

At first I wasn't sure that I had the talent, but I did know I had a fear of failure, and that fear compelled me to fight off anything that might abet it.

Misspelled Form

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