assoil
UK: əˈsɔɪl | US: əˈsɔɪl
vt. (archaic) to absolve or acquit from guilt or blame
vt. (obsolete) to resolve or settle (a dispute)
The word "assoil" originates from Old French "assoiler," derived from Latin "absolvere" (to absolve). Over time, the prefix "ad-" (to, toward) merged with "sordere" (to soil or stain), reflecting the idea of cleansing or freeing from moral or legal blemish. The term was common in Middle English but gradually fell into disuse, surviving mainly in archaic or legal contexts.
The priest sought to assoil the penitent of his sins.
In medieval courts, judges would assoil those proven innocent.
The king’s pardon served to assoil the rebel knights.
(Archaic) "I shall assoil this matter ere the sun sets," declared the elder.
The archaic term "assoil" appears in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales.