reprieve
(redirected from reprieving)Also found in: Thesaurus, Legal, Encyclopedia.
re·prieve
(rĭ-prēv′)v. re·prieved, re·priev·ing, re·prieves
v.tr.
1.
a. To prevent or suspend the punishment of (someone, especially a convicted criminal).
b. To prevent or suspend (a punishment).
2. To bring relief to: The rain reprieved us from the noise of the construction machinery.
v.intr.
To prevent the imposition of a scheduled or expected punishment, especially temporarily.
n.
1.
a. The prevention or suspension of a scheduled or expected punishment.
b. A court order or other official notification preventing or suspending a scheduled or expected punishment.
2. Temporary relief, as from danger or pain.
[Alteration (influenced by Middle English repreven, to contradict, variant of reproven, to rebuke) of Middle English reprien, probably from Old French repris, past participle of reprendre, to take back, from Latin reprehendere, reprēndere, to hold back; see reprehend.]
re·priev′a·ble adj.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
reprieve
(rɪˈpriːv)vb (tr)
1. (Law) to postpone or remit the punishment of (a person, esp one condemned to death)
2. to give temporary relief to (a person or thing), esp from otherwise irrevocable harm: the government has reprieved the company with a huge loan.
n
3. (Law) a postponement or remission of punishment, esp of a person condemned to death
4. (Law) a warrant granting a postponement
5. a temporary relief from pain or harm; respite
6. (Law) the act of reprieving or the state of being reprieved
[C16: from Old French repris (something) taken back, from reprendre to take back, from Latin reprehendere; perhaps also influenced by obsolete English repreve to reprove]
reˈprievable adj
reˈpriever n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
re•prieve
(rɪˈpriv)v. -prieved, -priev•ing,
n. v.t.
1. to delay the impending punishment or sentence of (a condemned person).
2. to relieve temporarily from any evil.
n. 3. a respite from impending punishment, esp. from execution.
4. a warrant authorizing this.
5. any respite or temporary relief.
[1300–50; perhaps conflation of Middle English repreven to reprove, appar. in literal sense “to test again,” and Middle English repried (past participle) < Old French reprit (see reprise)]
syn: See pardon.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
reprieve
Past participle: reprieved
Gerund: reprieving
| Imperative |
|---|
| reprieve |
| reprieve |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  reprieve - a (temporary) relief from harm or discomfort |
| 2. |  reprieve - an interruption in the intensity or amount of somethingbreak, interruption - some abrupt occurrence that interrupts an ongoing activity; "the telephone is an annoying interruption"; "there was a break in the action when a player was hurt" defervescence - abatement of a fever as indicated by a reduction in body temperature remission, subsidence, remittal - an abatement in intensity or degree (as in the manifestations of a disease); "his cancer is in remission" | |
| 3. | reprieve - a warrant granting postponement (usually to postpone the execution of the death sentence) warrant - a writ from a court commanding police to perform specified acts law, jurisprudence - the collection of rules imposed by authority; "civilization presupposes respect for the law"; "the great problem for jurisprudence to allow freedom while enforcing order" | |
| 4. | reprieve - the act of reprieving; postponing or remitting punishment mercy, clemency, mercifulness - leniency and compassion shown toward offenders by a person or agency charged with administering justice; "he threw himself on the mercy of the court" law, jurisprudence - the collection of rules imposed by authority; "civilization presupposes respect for the law"; "the great problem for jurisprudence to allow freedom while enforcing order" | |
| Verb | 1. | reprieve - postpone the punishment of a convicted criminal, such as an execution |
| 2. | reprieve - relieve temporarily |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
reprieve
verb
1. grant a stay of execution to, spare, amnesty, pardon, acquit, let off the hook (slang), grant an amnesty to, postpone or remit the punishment of Fourteen people, waiting to be hanged, have been reprieved.
noun
1. stay of execution, suspension, amnesty, pardon, respite, acquittal, remission, abeyance, deferment, postponement of punishment a reprieve for eight people waiting to be hanged
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
reprieve
nounThe American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
إرجاء تَنْفيذ الحُكْم بالإعْداميُرْجِئ تَنْفبذ الحُكْم بالإعْدام
milostodkladodložit popravuomilostnit
benådebenådning
halálbüntetés felfüggesztése
fresta refsingufrestun refsingar; náîun
atidėti bausmės vykdymąbausmės vykdymo atidėjimas
atlikt sprieduma izpildīšanusprieduma izpildīšanas atlikšana
odložiť popravu
affetmekertelemeertelemek
reprieve
[rɪˈpriːv]A. N
1. (Jur) → indulto m; [of sentence] → conmutación f
to win a last-minute reprieve → ser indultado a última hora
to win a last-minute reprieve → ser indultado a última hora
B. VT
2. (fig) → salvar
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
reprieve
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
reprieve
[rɪˈpriːv]1. n (Law) (cancellation) → commutazione f della pena capitale; (postponement) → sospensione f dell'esecuzione della condanna; (delay, also, gen) → proroga
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
reprieve
(rəˈpriːv) verb to pardon (a criminal) or delay his punishment. The murderer was sentenced to death, but later was reprieved.
noun the act of pardoning a criminal or delaying his punishment; the order to do this.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.