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Relent
Definitions
- 1 Softhearted; yielding. obsolete
- 1 A stay; a stop; a delay.
"There was no relent, my dear, as we pulled each other in."
- 2 A relenting. obsolete
- 1 To give in or be swayed; to become less hard, harsh, or cruel; to show clemency. intransitive
"He had planned to ground his son for a month, but relented and decided to give him a stern lecture instead."
- 2 give in, as to influence or pressure wordnet
- 3 To slacken; to abate. intransitive
"We waited for the storm to relent before we ventured outside."
- 4 To lessen, make less severe or intense. obsolete, transitive
"But nothing might relent her hastie flight; / So deepe the deadly feare of that foule swaine / Was earst impressed in her gentle spright […]"
- 5 To become less rigid or hard; to soften; to yield, for example by dissolving or melting dated, intransitive
"[Salt of tartar] placed in a cellar will […] begin to relent."
Etymology
From Middle English relenten, from Anglo-Norman relentir, from Latin re- + lentare (“to bend”), from lentus (“soft, pliant, slow”). Earliest recording dates to 1526.
From Middle English relenten, from Anglo-Norman relentir, from Latin re- + lentare (“to bend”), from lentus (“soft, pliant, slow”). Earliest recording dates to 1526.
From Middle English relenten, from Anglo-Norman relentir, from Latin re- + lentare (“to bend”), from lentus (“soft, pliant, slow”). Earliest recording dates to 1526.
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