reprieve en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
- /ɹɪˈpɹiːv/
Etymology
First use appears c. 1513 in the writings of Robert Fabyan. In the sense of “to take back to prison”, from Middle English repryen (“to remand, detain”) (1494), possibly from Middle French repris, in the form of reprendre (“take back”); a cognate to reprise. The sense has become generalized, but does retain connotations of punishment and execution. The noun's first use appears c. 1592.
Meanings
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(countable, uncountable) The cancellation or postponement of a punishment.
The prisoner was saved from execution; the governor had requested a reprieve.
- (countable, uncountable) A document authorizing such an action.
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(countable, uncountable) Relief from pain etc., especially temporary.
Yet it was not easy, on the balance of play, to be convinced by Pellegrini and his defeated players that the reprieve might somehow be a defining moment over the two legs.
2015 February 24, Daniel Taylor, “Luis Suárez strikes twice as Barcelona teach Manchester City a lesson”, in The Guardian (London):I have photographed destroyed homes, hospitals, funerals, humanitarian aid, empty markets and the daily lives of people returning to their neighborhoods during moment of reprieve.
2014 August 6, James Estrin, quoting Wissam Nassar, “Photos From Both Sides of the Gaza Conflict”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 06 Aug 2014:
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(countable, uncountable) A cancellation or postponement of a proposed event undesired by many.
And it said there was no reprieve for 435 stations already approved for closure before the report appeared.
2023 March 8, Howard Johnston, “Was Marples the real railway wrecker?”, in RAIL, number 978, page 53:At the time of writing the halts have been reprieved due to doubts as to the legality of the withdrawal of services. It is feared that this reprieve may not outlast the summer timetable which, on the section in question, provides only a skeleton of the former service.
1960 August, L. Hyland, “The Irish Scene”, in Trains Illustrated, page 468:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| reprieves | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| reprive | alternative | lexicographic | |
| repryve | alternative | lexicographic |
Translations (25)
de Gnadenfrist (cancellation of a punishment) · uk відстрочка (cancellation of a punishment) · de Strafaufschub (cancellation of a punishment) · nl respijt (cancellation of a punishment) · de Galgenfrist (cancellation of a punishment) · de Atempause (cancellation of a punishment) · de Begnadigung (cancellation of a punishment) · de Atempause (relief from pain) · fr répit (relief from pain) · cs milost (cancellation of a punishment) · de Frist (cancellation of a punishment) · ru переды́шка (relief from pain) · fr sursis (cancellation of a punishment) · nl kwijtschelding (cancellation of a punishment) · ru отсро́чка (cancellation of a punishment) · de Erleichterung (relief from pain) · de Vollzugsaufschub (cancellation of a punishment) · bg облекченив (relief from pain) · ru облегче́ние (relief from pain) · cs odklad výkonu trestu (cancellation of a punishment) · uk полегшення (relief from pain) · fr grâce (cancellation of a punishment) · de Erlösung (relief from pain) · es indulto (cancellation of a punishment) · de Aufschub (cancellation of a punishment)