abet

• POS: Verb (usu participle)
• HYPHEN: a=bet

CIDE DICTIONARY

abet, v. t. [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. bīta to bite, hence to bait, to incite. See Bait, Bet.].

•  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.  South.  [1913 Webster]

  "Would not the fool abet the stealth,
  Who rashly thus exposed his wealth?"  [1913 Webster]
•  To support, uphold, or aid; to maintain; -- in a good sense.

  "Our duty is urged, and our confidence abetted."  [1913 Webster]
•  To contribute, as an assistant or instigator, to the commission of an offense.  [1913 Webster]

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

abet, n. [OF. abet, fr. abeter.].

 Act of abetting; aid.  Chaucer.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

abet, v.tr. (abetted, abetting) (usu. in aid and abet) encourage or assist (an offender or offence).

Derivative

abetment n.

Etymology

ME f. OF abeter f. {agrave} to + beter BAIT(1)

THESAURUS

abet

advance, advocate, aid, aid and abet, approve of, ask for, assist, avail, bail out, bear a hand, befriend, benefit, comfort, condone, countenance, do for, do good, doctor, ease, egg, egg on, embolden, encourage, endorse, exhort, favor, feed, foment, foster, further, give a boost, give a hand, give a lift, give encouragement, give help, go for, goad, hearten, help, help out, incite, instigate, invite, keep in countenance, lend a hand, lend one aid, nourish, nurture, prod, proffer aid, promote, protect, provoke, raise, rally, reclaim, redeem, relieve, remedy, render assistance, rescue, restore, resuscitate, revive, sanction, save, second, set, set on, set up, shine upon, smile upon, spur, stead, stir up, subscribe, succor, support, take in tow, uphold, urge, whip up

ROGET THESAURUS

abet

Aid

VB aid, assist, help, succor, lend one's aid, come to the aid, of, contribute, subscribe to, bring aid, give aid, furnish aid, afford aid, supply aid, give a helping hand, stretch a hand, lend a helping hand, lend a hand, bear a helping hand, hold out a hand, hold out a helping hand, give one a life, give one a cast, give one a turn, take by the hand, take in tow, help a lame dog over a stile, lend wings to, relieve, rescue, set up, set agoing, set on one's legs, bear through, pull through, give new life to, be the making of, reinforce, reenforce, recruit, set forward, put forward, push forward, give a lift, give a shove, give an impulse to, promote, further, forward, advance expedite, speed, quicken, hasten, support, sustain, uphold, prop, hold up, bolster, cradle, nourish, nurture, nurse, dry nurse, suckle, put out to nurse, manure, cultivate, force, foster, cherish, foment, feed the flame, fan the flame, serve, do service to, tender to, pander to, administer to, subminister to, minister to, tend, attend, wait on, take care of, entertain, smooth the bed of death, oblige, accommodate, consult the wishes of, humor, cheer, encourage, second, stand by, back, back up, pay the piper, abet, work for, make interest for, stick up for, take up the cudgels for, take up the cause of, espouse the cause of, adopt the cause of, advocate, beat up for recruits, press into the service, squire, give moral support to, keep in countenance, countenance, patronize, lend oneself to, lend one's countenance to, smile upon, shine upon, favor, befriend, take in hand, enlist under the banners of, side with, be of use to, subserve, benefit, render a service, conduce.