reprieve

[ri-preev]

verb (used with object)

reprieved, reprieving 

1. to delay the impending punishment or sentence of (a condemned person).

2. to relieve temporarily from any evil.

noun

1. a respite from impending punishment, as from execution of a sentence of death.

2. a warrant authorizing this.

3. any respite or temporary relief.

   Synonyms: deferment, stay, postponement, delay

reprieve

/ rɪˈpriːv /

verb

1. 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

noun

1. a postponement or remission of punishment, esp of a person condemned to death

2. a warrant granting a postponement

3. a temporary relief from pain or harm; respite

4. the act of reprieving or the state of being reprieved

Other Word Forms

• repriever noun
• unreprieved adjective
• reprievable adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of reprieve¹

First recorded in 1300–50; perhaps conflation of Middle English repreven “to contradict,” variant of reproven “to rebuke,” apparently taken in literal sense “to prove again, test again,” and Middle English repried (past participle of reprien “to bring back”), from Old French reprit (past participle of reprendre “to take back”; reprise, reprove,

Word History and Origins

Origin of reprieve¹

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

Synonym Study

See pardon.

Example Sentences

Le Maire agreed not to become a minister and Macron gave his outgoing prime minister a last-minute reprieve of 48 hours, to see if he could persuade LR into the government.

From BBC

The question remains of whether this was a turning point or a temporary reprieve in a lost season, but at least for the moment everyone associated with the team could deeply exhale.

From Los Angeles Times

As a child, Baruch said, he would find brief reprieve from the tolls of addiction by visiting his grandmother’s house.

From Los Angeles Times

There had been a brief reprieve for the Windy City.

From Salon

Last year, when the pair became new — and newly exhausted — parents, their reprieve was watching a TV show on a streaming service while their daughter napped.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• abatement 
• absolution 
• amnesty 
• clemency 
• deferment 
• pardon 
• postponement 
• remission 
• respite 
• suspension 
• truce