1. To maintain or patronize; to encourage or set on. The act is called abetment. [Whart.] 2. For an offence of abetment it is not nrcessary that the offence should have been committed. A man may be guilty as an abettor whether the offence is committed or not. fagnua Kanta Nath v. State of Assam, 1959 Supp(2) SCR 1: AIR 1959 SC 673: 1959 CriLJ 917.