reprieve Hear it!

reprieve definition

re·prieve (ri prēv′)

transitive verb reprieved -·prieved′, reprieving -·priev′·ing

  1. to postpone the punishment of; esp., to postpone the execution of (a person condemned to death)
  2. to give temporary relief to, as from trouble or pain

Etymology: earlier repry < Anglo-Fr repris < MFr, pp. of reprendre, to take back, prob. altered by assoc. with ME repreven, reprove

noun

a reprieving or being reprieved; specif.,
  1. postponement of a penalty, esp. that of death; also, a warrant ordering this
  2. a temporary relief or escape, as from trouble or pain

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Comments
Improve this definition.
Do you have more to add? Share your linguistic knowledge or observation.
/Register to save your comments.