Search the Dictionary

One who abets; an instigator of an offense or an offender.

violate; to pronounce free; as, to absolve a subject from his allegiance; to absolve an offender, which amounts to an acquittal and remission of his punishment. Halifax was absolved by a majority of fourteen. Macaulay.

ssion. -- Accessary after the fact, one who, after an offense, assists or shelters the offender, not being present at the commission of the offense.

ton . -- A writ of account (Law), a writ which the plaintiff brings demanding that the defendant shall render his just account, or show good cause to the contrary; -- called also an action of account. Cowell.

e, an expression often used to designate an act declaring pardon or amnesty to numerous offenders, as at the beginning of a new reign. -- Act of indemnity, a statute passed for the protection of those who have committed some illegal act subjecting them to penalties. Abbott. -- Act in pais, a thing done out of court (…

"Original sin;" human frailty. And whipped the offending Adam out of him. Shak. Adam's ale, water. [Coll.] -- Adam's apple.

One who defends, vindicates, or espouses any cause by argument; a pleader; as, an advocate of free trade, an advocate of truth.

To offend by some manifestation of disrespect; to insult to the face by demeanor or language; to treat with marked incivility. How can any one imagine that the fathers would have dared to affront the wife of Aurelius Addison.

Tending to affront or offend; offensive; abusive. How affrontive it is to despise mercy. South.

To be guilty of; to offend; to sin against; to wrong. [Obs.] Chaucer.

called by abbreviation; as, a general's aid. Aid prayer (Law), a proceeding by which a defendant beseeches and claims assistance from some one who has a further or more permanent interest in the matter in suit. -- To pray in aid, to beseech and claim such assistance.

nt all this; be it that; supposing that; notwithstanding; though. Although all shall be offended, yet will no I. Mark xiv. 29.

on. Amende honorable(#). (Old French Law) A species of infamous punishment in which the offender, being led into court with a rope about his neck, and a lighted torch in his hand, begged pardon of his God, the court, etc. In popular language, the phrase now denotes a public apology or recantation, and reparation to an…

twork of a strong, high wall, with turrets, in front gateway (as of an old castle), for defending the entrance.

One who believes in, or defends, the Apocrypha. [R.]

Defending by words or arguments; said or written in defense, or by way of apology; regretfully excusing; as, an apologetic essay. "To speak in a subdued and apologetic tone." Macaulay.

That branch of theology which defends the Holy Scriptures, and sets forth the evidence of their divine authority.

To defend. [Obs.] The Christians . . . were apologized by Plinie. Dr. G. Benson.

ation or title; a descriptive name. God chosen it for one of his appellatives to be the Defender of them. Jer. Taylor.

The defendant in an appeal; -- opposed to appellant.