Definition

1. Verb:
   • To exculpate: To clear from alleged fault or guilt; to prove or declare that someone is not guilty of wrongdoing.
   • To mitigate a crime/offense: To use arguments or evidence to lessen the severity of a charge or to achieve an acquittal.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Luật sư cố gắng gỡ tội cho thân chủ bằng các chứng cứ mới. (The lawyer tried to exculpate his client with new evidence.)
  • Lời khai của nhân chứng đã giúp gỡ tội cho bị cáo. (The witness's testimony helped to exculpate the defendant.)
  • Anh ấy đưa ra nhiều lý do để gỡ tội cho hành động của mình. (He gave many reasons to mitigate his offense.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is primarily used in legal, formal, or serious moral contexts. It implies a deliberate effort to argue against an accusation.

Variants and Related Words

• Gỡ lỗi (v): To debug (in computing). This is a distinct term and should not be confused with "gỡ tội."
• Biện hộ (v): To defend, to plead. This is a broader term for defending someone, which can include the act of exculpation.
• Giải oan (v): To redress a wrong, to clear someone's name of a false accusation. This emphasizes clearing someone after an unjust accusation.

Synonyms

• Exonerate: To absolve from blame.
• Absolve: To set free from guilt or obligation.
• Vindicate: To clear from blame or suspicion.
• Acquit: To declare not guilty in a legal trial.

Related Idioms

• While "gỡ tội" itself is not typically part of a common idiom, the concept relates to:
  • Gỡ thế bí: To extricate oneself from a difficult situation. This shares the core idea of "gỡ" (to disentangle, to remove) but applies to general predicaments, not specifically legal guilt.

1. Exculpate