Vindicate \Vin"di*cate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Vindicated; p.
pr. & vb. n. Vindicating.] [L. vindicatus, p. p. of
vindicare to lay claim to, defend, avenge. See Vengeance.]
1. To lay claim to; to assert a right to; to claim. [R.]
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Is thine alone the seed that strews the plain?
The birds of heaven shall vindicate their grain.
--Pope.
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2. To maintain or defend with success; to prove to be valid;
to assert convincingly; to sustain against assault; as, to
vindicate a right, claim, or title.
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3. To support or maintain as true or correct, against denial,
censure, or objections; to defend; to justify.
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When the respondent denies any proposition, the
opponent must directly vindicate . . . that
proposition. --I. Watts.
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Laugh where we must, be candid where we can,
But vindicate the ways of God to man. --Pope.
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4. To maintain, as a law or a cause, by overthrowing enemies.
--Milton.
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5. To liberate; to set free; to deliver. [Obs.]
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I am confident he deserves much more
That vindicates his country from a tyrant
Than he that saves a citizen. --Massinger.
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6. To avenge; to punish; as, a war to vindicate or punish
infidelity. [Obs.] --Bacon.
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God is more powerful to exact subjection and to
vindicate rebellion. --Bp. Pearson.
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Syn: To assert; maintain; claim. See Assert.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
vindicate
v 1: show to be right by providing justification or proof;
"vindicate a claim" [syn: justify]
2: maintain, uphold, or defend; "vindicate the rights of the
citizens"
3: clear of accusation, blame, suspicion, or doubt with
supporting proof; "You must vindicate yourself and fight
this libel"
WordNet (r) 2.0
63 Moby Thesaurus words for "vindicate":
absolve, account for, acquit, advocate, amnesty, argue, assert,
bear out, claim, clear, confute, contend, cry sour grapes,
decontaminate, defend, destigmatize, discharge, dismiss,
dispense from, disprove, do justice to, exculpate, excuse, exempt,
exempt from, exonerate, explain, forgive, free, give absolution,
grant amnesty to, grant immunity, grant remission, guard, justify,
let go, let off, nonpros, pardon, plead for, protect, prove, purge,
quash the charge, rationalize, redress, refute, rehabilitate,
reinstate, release, remit, restore, revenge, second, set free,
shield, shrive, spiteful, support, uphold, warrant, whitewash,
withdraw the charge
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
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