vindicate

Borrowed from Latin vindicātus, perfect passive participle of vindicō (“lay legal claim to something; set free; protect, avenge, punish”), from vim, accusative singular of vīs (“force, power”), + dīcō (“say; declare, state”). See avenge.

vindicate (third-person singular simple present vindicates, present participle vindicating, simple past and past participle vindicated)

1. (transitive) To clear of an accusation, suspicion or criticism.

   to vindicate someone's honor

2. (transitive) To justify by providing evidence.

   to vindicate a right, claim or title

   • 2012 June 19, Phil McNulty, “England 1-0 Ukraine”, in BBC Sport‎:

     The Ukrainians immediately demanded a goal and their claims were vindicated as replays showed the ball crossed the line before Terry's intervention.

     Also see: United National Congress, Trinidad and Tobago

     Kamla Persad Bissessar: " We have been vindicated, but it is a victory for the people"

3. (transitive) To maintain or defend (a cause) against opposition.

   to vindicate the rights of labor movement in developing countries

4. (transitive) To provide justification for.

   The violent history of the suspect vindicated the use of force by the police.

5. (transitive) To lay claim to; to assert a right to; to claim.
6. (transitive, obsolete) To liberate; to set free; to deliver.
7. (transitive, obsolete) To avenge; to punish

   a war to vindicate infidelity

• vindication
• vindicator
• vindictive

vindicāte

1. second-person plural present active imperative of vindicō