ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery)Word Knowledge (WK)Hard
Despite his initial protests, the defendant was ultimately found to have <b>abetted</b> the crime by providing the getaway vehicle. What does 'abetted' mean?
- APrevented
- BAssisted
- CReported
- DCondemned
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. Assisted
The phrase 'providing the getaway vehicle' clearly describes an action that helped the crime, even if the defendant initially protested. 'Abetted' means to encourage or assist (someone) to do something wrong, in particular, to commit a crime, making 'assisted' the correct answer.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Prevented is the opposite of abetted.
- C. Reported means to give an account of, which would be against the criminal act, not abetting it.
- D. Condemned means to express complete disapproval of, which is not an action of abetting.
Abet
To encourage or assist (someone) to do something wrong, in particular, to commit a crime.
- Always implies involvement in a wrongful act.
- Can be active assistance or encouragement.
- Often used in legal contexts, e.g., 'aid and abet'.
- Synonyms: aid, assist, help, support (in wrongdoing).
Memory trick: To 'abet' a crime is to 'aid' and 'bet' on its success by providing help.