English▸ verb
( abets, abetting, abetted)
[with object] encourage or assist (someone) to do something wrong, in particular to commit a crime: he was not guilty of murder but was guilty of aiding and abetting others.
▪ encourage or assist someone to commit (a crime):
we are aiding and abetting this illegal traffic.
– ORIGIN late Middle English (in the sense ‘urge to do something good or bad’): from Old French abeter, from a- (from Latin ad ‘to, at’) + beter ‘hound, urge on’.