|
| re·prieve [ ri prv ] |
transitive verb (past and past participle re·prieved, present participle re·priev·ing, 3rd person present singular re·prieves) |
|
| Definition: |
| |
1. stop or postpone somebody's punishment: to halt or delay the punishment of somebody, especially when the punishment is death
(
often passive
)
|
2. offer respite to somebody: to provide somebody with temporary relief from something harmful, especially danger or pain
|
noun (plural re·prieves) |
|
| Definition: |
| |
1. stopping or postponement of punishment: the halting or delay of somebody's punishment, especially when the punishment is death
|
2. warrant halting or postponing punishment: a warrant giving the authority to stop or postpone somebody's punishment, especially when the punishment is death
|
3. respite from something harmful: a relief from something harmful, especially danger or pain
|
| [Mid-17th century. Alteration of obsolete repry "take back to prison, escape the death sentence" < Old French repris "taken back" < Latin reprehendere (see reprehend)] |
|
  re·priev·a·ble adjective |
| re·priev·er noun |
|
Hotmail
