vindication

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

vindication
    n 1: the act of vindicating or defending against criticism or
         censure etc.; "friends provided a vindication of his
         position" [syn: {vindication}, {exoneration}]
    2: the justification for some act or belief; "he offered a
       persuasive defense of the theory" [syn: {defense}, {defence},
       {vindication}]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Vindication \Vin`di*ca"tion\, n. [L. vindicatio a laying claim,
   defense, vindication. See {Vindicate}.]
   1. The act of vindicating, or the state of being vindicated;
      defense; justification against denial or censure; as, the
      vindication of opinions; his vindication is complete.
      [1913 Webster]

            Occasion for the vindication of this passage in my
            book.                                 --Locke.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. (Civil Law) The claiming a thing as one's own; the
      asserting of a right or title in, or to, a thing.
      --Burrill.
      [1913 Webster]

from Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856)

VINDICATION, civil law. The claim made to property by the owner of it. 1 
Bell's Com. 281, 5th ed. See Revendication.

from Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

29 Moby Thesaurus words for "vindication":
      absolution, acquittal, acquittance, clearance, clearing,
      compurgation, destigmatization, destigmatizing, discharge,
      disculpation, dismissal, exculpation, excuse, exoneration,
      explanation, forgiveness, justification, pardon, purgation,
      purging, quietus, quittance, rationalization, rehabilitation,
      reinstatement, release, remission, restoration,
      verdict of acquittal