abet
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abet
- /əˈbɛt/
Rhymes with -ɛt
Where it comes from
From Middle English abetten, abette, from Old French abeter (“to entice”), from a- (“to”) + beter (“hound on, urge, to bait”), either from Middle Dutch bētan (“incite”) or from Old Norse beita (“to cause to bite, bait, incite”), 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”).
Alternate etymology traces the Middle English and Old French words through Old English *ābǣtan (“to hound on”), from ā- + bǣtan (“to bait”), from the same source (Proto-Germanic *baitijaną).
See also bait, bet.
verb abets · abetting · abetted
- To incite; to assist or encourage by aid or countenance in crime. aid and abet
- To support, countenance, maintain, uphold, or aid (any good cause, opinion, or action). Our duty is urged, and our confidence abetted.
- To urge on, stimulate (a person to do) something desirable.
- To back up one's forecast of a doubtful issue, by staking money, etc., to bet.
noun abets
- Fraud or cunning.
- An act of abetting; of helping; of giving aid.
