abet
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
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[imac]ta 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.
[1913 Webster]
Would not the fool abet the stealth,
Who rashly thus exposed his wealth? --Gay.
[1913 Webster]
2. To support, uphold, or aid; to maintain; -- in a good
sense. [Obs.].
Our duty is urged, and our confidence abetted.
--Jer. Taylor.
[1913 Webster]
3. (Law) 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.
[1913 Webster]
from
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
82 Moby Thesaurus words for "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
[email protected]