Innocent, a.
Etymology: [F.innocent, L. innocens, -entis; pref. in- not + nocens, p.pr. of nocere to harm, hurt. See Noxious.]
A boy with a lamb. The lamb is the old picture of innocence.
Boy of Hallett Family with Lamb, Artist unknown, 1766–76. Art Institute of Chicago.1. Not harmful; free from that which can injure; innoxious; innocuous; harmless; as, an innocent medicine or remedy. The spear Sung innocent,and spent its force in air. Pope.
2. Morally free from guilt; guiltless; not tainted with sin; pure; upright. To offer up a weak, poor, innocent lamb. Shak. I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. Matt. xxvii. 4. The aidless,innocent lady, his wished prey. Milton.
3. Free from the guilt of a particular crime or offense; as, a man is innocent of the crime charged. Innocent from the great transgression. Ps. xix. 13.
4. Simple; artless; foolish. Shak.
3 more senses
5. Lawful; permitted; as, an innocent trade.
6. Not contraband; not subject to forfeiture; as, innocent goods carried to a belligerent nation. Innocent party (Law),a party who has not notice of a fact tainting a litigated transaction with illegality.
Syn. -- Harmless; innoxious; innoffensive; guiltless; spotless; immaculate; pure; unblamable; blameless; faultless; guileless; upright.
1 other Webster entry under this spelling
Innocent, n.
1. An innocent person; one free from, or unacquainted with, guilt or sin. Shak.
2. An unsophisticated person; hence, a child; a simpleton; an idiot. B. Jonson. In Scotland a natural fool was called an innocent. Sir W. Scott. Innocents' day (Eccl.), Childermas day.
Shades of meaning
Innocent, in the full sense, signifies not tainted with sin; not having done wrong or violated legal or moral precept or duty; as, an innocent babe. Innocent is a negative word, expressing less than righteous, upright, or virtuous, which imply knowledge of good and evil, with free choice of the good. A little child or a lamb is innocent; a tried and faithful man is righteous, upright, virtuous. Immaculate, pure, and sinless may be used either of one who has never known the possibility of evil or of one who has perfectly and triumphantly resisted it. Innocent is used of inanimate substances in the sense of harmless; as, an innocent remedy, that is, one not dangerous, even if not helpful. Innocent, in a specific case, signifies free from the guilt of a particular act, even tho the total character may be very evil; as, the thief was found to be innocent of the murder. See candid; pure.