In"no*cent (?), a. [F. innocent,
L. innocens, -entis; pref. in- not +
nocens, p. pr. of nocere to harm, hurt. See
Noxious.] 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.
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.
In"no*cent, 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.