abet

UK: /əˈbɛt/ US: /əˈbɛt/ ,(ə bet′)

Inflections of 'abet' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

abets

v 3rd person singular

abetting

v pres p

abetted

v past

abetted

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

a•bet /əˈbɛt/   v. [~ + object] , a•bet•ted, a•bet•ting. 

1. to help, usually in doing something wrong:
   a charge of abetting the enemy.

a•bet•ment, n. [uncountable]
a•bet•tor, a•bet•ter, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

a•bet  (ə bet′), v.t., a•bet•ted, a•bet•ting. 

1. to encourage, support, or countenance by aid or approval, usually in wrongdoing:
   to abet a swindler; to abet a crime.

• Middle English abette (whence Old French abeter, unless perh. the latter, of Gmc origin, originally, be the source for the Middle English), Old English *ābǣtan to hound on, equivalent. to ā- a-³ + bǣtan to bait, akin to bite 1275–1325

a•bet′ment, a•bet′tal, n. 
Synonyms

help, aid, assist; promote.

Antonyms

hinder, discourage.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

abet / əˈbɛt/ verb (abets, abetting, abetted)

1. (transitive) to assist or encourage, esp in crime or wrongdoing

Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French abeter to lure on, entice, from beter to bait

aˈbetment, aˈbettal noun

aˈbetter, aˈbettor noun