Aid and abet

Meaning

The idiom "aid and abet" means to give or provide assistance, support, encouragement, or aid to someone or something, especially in a legal case. It can also mean to help someone commit a crime.

Usage

• The prosecution accused the defendant of aiding and abetting the robbery.
• The judge ruled that the witness had aided and abetted the murder by providing false testimony.
• The victim's family accused the suspect of aiding and abetting their loved one's suicide.
• The company was found guilty of aiding and abetting discrimination against minority employees.
• The activists were arrested for aiding and abetting the destruction of public property during the protest.

Roots and History

The phrase "aiding and abetting" dates back to the 13th century in English. It comes from the Old French phrase "aider et abeter," which translates to "to help and to torment." In legal terms, it means to assist someone in committing a crime or providing evidence that can be used against them in a court of law. Over time, the phrase has evolved to simply mean to provide support or assistance to someone in any situation, not just legal cases.

Synonyms in English

• Assist
• Help
• Support
• Aid
• Encourage

Synonyms in other languages

• Aider (French) - to help
• Unterstützen (German) - to support
• Ayudar (Spanish) - to aid
• 助手 (Japanese) - assistant
• 支持 (Italian) - to support

Similar Idioms

• every man Jack

• lead astray

• a raw deal