Respite
//ˈɹɛsˌpaɪt// noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A brief interval of rest or relief. countable, uncountable
"I crave but four day's respite."
- 2 a pause from doing something (as work) wordnet
- 3 A reprieve, especially from a sentence of death. countable, uncountable
"Thenne spake sir gawayn and sayd my lord Arthur I wold counceylle yow not to be ouer hasty but that ye wold putte it in respyte this Iugement of my lady the quene for many causes. "Then spake Sir Gawaine, and said: My lord Arthur, I would counsel you not to be over-hasty, but that ye would put it in respite, this judgment of my lady the queen, for many causes.""
- 4 the act of reprieving; postponing or remitting punishment wordnet
- 5 The delay of appearance at court granted to a jury beyond the proper term. countable, uncountable
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- 6 an interruption in the intensity or amount of something wordnet
- 7 A short period of spoken dialogue in an otherwise sung-through musical. countable, uncountable
- 8 a (temporary) relief from harm or discomfort wordnet
- 9 a pause for relaxation wordnet
Verb
- 1 To delay or postpone (an event). transitive
- 2 postpone the punishment of a convicted criminal, such as an execution wordnet
- 3 To allow (a person) extra time to fulfil some obligation. transitive
Antonyms
All antonymsExample
More examples"There was no respite from the cold."
Etymology
From Anglo-Norman and Old French respit (“rest”), from Latin respectus. Doublet of respect.
Related phrases
More for "respite"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.