Abet \A*bet"\, n. [OF. abet, fr. abeter.]
   Act of abetting; aid. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
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	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.
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            Would not the fool abet the stealth,
            Who rashly thus exposed his wealth?   --Gay.
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   2. To support, uphold, or aid; to maintain; -- in a good
      sense. [Obs.].

            Our duty is urged, and our confidence abetted.
                                                  --Jer. Taylor.
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   3. (Law) To contribute, as an assistant or instigator, to the
      commission of an offense.
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   Syn: To incite; instigate; set on; egg on; foment; advocate;
        countenance; encourage; second; uphold; aid; assist;
        support; sustain; back; connive at.
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	abet
    v 1: assist or encourage, usually in some wrongdoing

	

	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