acquittal
C1Formal, Legal, Journalistic
Definition
Meaning
A formal judgment in a court of law that a person is not guilty of the crime with which they were charged.
A release from an obligation, duty, or debt; a discharge or fulfillment of a responsibility.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Strictly refers to a formal legal outcome; metaphorically used for release from other types of burdens or accusations.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in legal meaning. UK English may use 'not guilty verdict' more interchangeably in journalism. US usage is more common in metaphorical contexts (e.g., 'acquittal of a debt').
Connotations
Neutral to positive in a legal context (presumption of innocence upheld); can be negative in public opinion if the verdict is controversial.
Frequency
Higher frequency in American English due to greater media coverage of trials; similar frequency in formal/legal contexts in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
acquittal (of someone) (on a charge/on charges of something)acquittal for a crimeacquittal by a juryVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “a verdict of acquittal”
- “get off scot-free (informal, often negative connotation)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Possibly in contexts of regulatory investigations: 'The company's acquittal on fraud charges boosted its share price.'
Academic
Used in legal, criminology, and political science papers discussing trial outcomes and justice systems.
Everyday
Used in news reports and discussions about court cases. Less common in casual conversation.
Technical
Core legal term denoting the specific judgment that ends a criminal case in favour of the defendant.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The court will acquit him next Tuesday.
- They were acquitted on all major charges.
American English
- The jury is expected to acquit the defendant.
- She was acquitted after a brief deliberation.
adverb
British English
- The jury found him acquittingly. (Extremely rare/Non-standard)
- He walked out acquittedly. (Non-standard)
American English
- She was acquittingly released. (Non-standard/Unidiomatic)
- N/A
adjective
British English
- He gave an acquitting statement to the press. (Rare/Non-standard)
- The acquitted man left the court a free man.
American English
- The acquitted defendant held a press conference.
- They sought an acquitting verdict. (Rare/Non-standard)
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The news said the man got an acquittal.
- Acquittal means not guilty.
- The lawyer was happy about his client's acquittal.
- After the acquittal, she could return to her normal life.
- The controversial acquittal of the celebrity sparked public debate.
- Securing an acquittal required presenting strong evidence of an alibi.
- The prosecutor's failure to secure a conviction resulted in a stunning acquittal for the defence.
- His acquittal on grounds of insufficient evidence did little to quell the media's suspicion.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'ACQUIT' means to declare innocent. ACQUITTAL is the noun form – the RESULT of being acquitted.
Conceptual Metaphor
JUSTICE IS A SCALE (acquittal tips the scale towards innocence); FREEDOM FROM A BURDEN (acquittal lifts the weight of accusation).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'оправдание', which can mean 'justification' in a non-legal sense. 'Acquittal' is strictly legal. The Russian 'оправдательный приговор' is the closest equivalent.
- Do not translate directly as 'освобождение', which is a broader 'release'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'acquittal' to mean a fine or sentence (it means the opposite).
- Spelling: 'Acquitall' or 'Acquitment' are incorrect.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the most precise definition of 'acquittal'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. Legally, an acquittal means the prosecution did not prove guilt 'beyond a reasonable doubt'. It is a legal status, not necessarily a declaration of factual innocence, though it has that effect in law.
In most jurisdictions with double jeopardy protections (like the UK and US), no, you cannot be retried for the same crime after a formal acquittal.
An acquittal occurs before a conviction, declaring you not guilty. A pardon is an act of forgiveness usually granted after a conviction, removing penalties but not erasing the conviction itself.
Yes, but metaphorically. You might see 'acquittal of a debt' (formal discharge) or 'moral acquittal' in literature, meaning vindication from blame.
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Law and Regulation
C1 · 46 words · Legal language and regulatory frameworks.