relinquish

American  

[ri-ling-kwish] / rɪˈlɪŋ kwɪʃ /

verb (used with object)

1. to renounce or surrender (a possession, right, etc.).

   to relinquish the throne.

2. to give up; put aside or desist from.

   to relinquish a plan.

   Synonyms:

   resign , desert , forswear , quit , leave , abdicate , forego , waive , cede , yield

3. to let go; release.

   to relinquish one's hold.

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relinquish British  

/ rɪˈlɪŋkwɪʃ /

verb

1. to give up (a task, struggle, etc); abandon

2. to surrender or renounce (a claim, right, etc)

3. to release; let go

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Related Words

See abandon.

Other Word Forms

• nonrelinquishment noun
• relinquisher noun
• relinquishment noun
• unrelinquished adjective
• unrelinquishing adjective

Etymology

Origin of relinquish

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English relinquissen, relinquisshen, from Middle French relinquiss-, long stem of relinquir ≪ Latin relinquere “to leave behind,” equivalent to re- re- + linquere “to leave” (akin to lend )

Example Sentences

By leaving our bubbles, we widen our perspectives and, for at least a moment, relinquish what David Foster Wallace once called our “natural, hard-wired default-setting . . . to see and interpret everything through this lens of self.”

From The Wall Street Journal

And they will not relinquish that power voluntarily.

From Salon

Earlier in October, Andrew issued a personal statement saying he would be relinquishing all of his royal titles, including the Duke of York.

From BBC

Belarus, Ukraine and Kazakhstan all relinquished nuclear weapons after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

From Washington Times

During the Winter War of 1939-1940, Finland fended off a Soviet invasion, though the Finns had to relinquish some territory and they agreed to remain formally neutral throughout the Cold War.

From New York Times

Related Words

• abandon
• abdicate
• cede
• drop out
• forgo
• hand over
• quit
• renounce
• surrender
• vacate
• waive
• withdraw
• yield