Adjacent Words

respite definitions

	Tweet

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a (temporary) relief from harm or discomfort [syn: reprieve, respite]
2: a pause from doing something (as work); "we took a 10-minute break"; "he took time out to recuperate" [syn: respite, recess, break, time out]
3: an interruption in the intensity or amount of something [syn: suspension, respite, reprieve, hiatus, abatement]
4: a pause for relaxation; "people actually accomplish more when they take time for short rests" [syn: respite, rest, relief, rest period]
5: the act of reprieving; postponing or remitting punishment [syn: reprieve, respite] v
1: postpone the punishment of a convicted criminal, such as an execution [syn: reprieve, respite]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English respit, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin respectus, from Latin, act of looking back — more at respect Date: 13th century 1. a period of temporary delay 2. an interval of rest or relief II. transitive verb (respited; respiting) Date: 14th century 1. to grant a respite to 2. put off, delay III. adjective Date: 1978 providing or being temporary care in relief of a primary caregiver <respite care> <a respite worker>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. 1 an interval of rest or relief. 2 a delay permitted before the discharge of an obligation or the suffering of a penalty. --v.tr. 1 grant respite to; reprieve (a condemned person). 2 postpone the execution or exaction of (a sentence, obligation, etc.). 3 give temporary relief from (pain or care) or to (a sufferer). Etymology: ME f. OF respit f. L respectus RESPECT

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Respite Res"pite (r?s"p?t), n. [OF. respit, F. r['e]pit, from L. respectus respect, regard, delay, in LL., the deferring of a day. See Respect.] 1. A putting off of that which was appointed; a postponement or delay. I crave but four day's respite. --Shak. 2. Temporary intermission of labor, or of any process or operation; interval of rest; pause; delay. ``Without more respite.'' --Chaucer. Some pause and respite only I require. --Denham. 3. (Law) (a) Temporary suspension of the execution of a capital offender; reprieve. (b) The delay of appearance at court granted to a jury beyond the proper term. Syn: Pause; interval; stop; cessation; delay; postponement; stay; reprieve.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Respite Res"pite, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Respited; p. pr. & vb. n. Respiting.] [OF. respiter, LL. respectare. See Respite, n.] To give or grant a respite to. Specifically: (a) To delay or postpone; to put off. (b) To keep back from execution; to reprieve. Forty days longer we do respite you. --Shak. (c) To relieve by a pause or interval of rest. ``To respite his day labor with repast.'' --Milton.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

1. A respite is a short period of rest from something unpleasant. (FORMAL) It was some weeks now since they had had any respite from shellfire. N-SING: also no det, oft N from n 2. A respite is a short delay before a very unpleasant or difficult situation which may or may not take place. (FORMAL) Devaluation would only give the economy a brief respite. = reprieve N-SING: also no det

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. n. 1. Delay, pause, rest, interval, stop, cessation, stay, breathing-time. 2. Reprieve, suspension of punishment. 3. Postponement, delay, forbearance. II. v. a. 1. Delay, postpone. 2. Reprieve, suspend the punishment of. 3. Relieve (by pause).

Moby Thesaurus

abeyance, afterthought, bind, block, blockage, blow, break, breath, breather, breathing, breathing place, breathing space, breathing spell, breathing time, bureaucratic delay, caesura, catharsis, cease-fire, cigarette break, cleansing, cocktail hour, coffee break, day off, delay, delayage, delayed reaction, deliverance, detention, discharge, double take, downtime, dragging, drop, emotional release, enforced respite, extension, freeing, grace, grant a reprieve, half time, half-time intermission, halt, hang-up, happy hour, hesitation, hiatus, hindrance, holdup, holiday, interim, interlude, intermezzo, intermission, intermittence, interregnum, interruption, interval, jam, lag, lagging, lapse, layoff, letup, logjam, lull, moratorium, obstruction, off-time, paperasserie, pause, plateau, point of repose, postponement, purgation, purge, purging, quiet spell, recess, red tape, red-tapeism, red-tapery, release, relief, remission, removal, reprieve, rest, resting point, retardance, retardation, slow-up, slowdown, slowness, spell, stand-down, stay, stay of execution, stop, stoppage, surcease, suspension, tea break, tie-up, time lag, time off, time out, truce, vacation, wait