betichten

From Middle Dutch betichten (early 15th c., in the same century also betichtigen), denominal from beticht (“legal claim, accusation”) and/or roughly synonymous ticht, tichte, both from tîen (whence modern tijgen). Compare Middle Low German betichtigen (14th c.), German bezichtigen (older also bezichten, 15th c.).

• IPA^(key): /bəˈtɪxtə(n)/

• Audio:

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• Hyphenation: be‧tich‧ten
• Rhymes: -ɪxtən

betichten

1. (transitive) to accuse

• Betichten is generally used to indicate a greater level of scepticism or contestability about the accusation than beschuldigen.
• In Belgium betichten is used as a legal term: Zij werd beticht van fraude (“She was accused of fraud”). In the Netherlands it is mainly used in more formal registers for nonlegal accusations: De polemist betichtte zijn tegenstanders van trouweloosheid (“The polemicist accused his opponents of unfaithfulness”).

• betichting