reprieve

reprieve
reprieve (v.) 1570s, "take back to prison," from M.E. repryen "to remand, detain" (late 15c.), probably from M.Fr. repris, pp. of reprendre "take back" (see REPRISE (Cf. reprise)). Meaning "to suspend an impending execution" is recorded from 1590s. Sense evolved because being sent back to prison was the alternative to being executed. The noun is first attested 1590s.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • reprieve — I noun day of grace, deferment, delay, delay in execution, delay in punishment, dispensation, interval of ease, moratorium, pause, postponement, postponement of penalty, quittance, respite, respite from impending punishment, stay, stay of… …   Law dictionary

  • Reprieve — Re*prieve (r? pr?v ), n. 1. A temporary suspension of the execution of a sentence, especially of a sentence of death. [1913 Webster] The morning Sir John Hotham was to die, a reprieve was sent to suspend the execution for three days. Clarendon.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Reprieve — Re*prieve (r? pr?v ), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Reprieved} ( pr?vd ); p. pr. & vb. n. {Reprieving}.] [OE. repreven to reject, disallow, OF. reprover to blame, reproach, condemn (pres. il reprueve), F. r[ e]prouver to disapprove, fr. L. reprobare to… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • reprieve — [n] relief of blame, responsibility abatement, abeyance, absolution, acquittal, alleviation, amnesty, anchor*, clearance, clemency, commute, deferment, freeing, let up*, lifeboat*, lifesaver*, mitigation, palliation, pardon, postponement, release …   New thesaurus

  • Reprieve — (engl., spr. Riprihw), 1) Aufschub einer Hinrichtung; 2) Befehl zu diesem Aufschub …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • reprieve — both verb and noun, is spelt ie , not ei …   Modern English usage

  • reprieve — ► VERB 1) cancel the punishment of. 2) abandon or postpone plans to close: the threatened pits could be reprieved. ► NOUN 1) the cancellation of a punishment. 2) a respite from difficulty or danger. ORIGIN Old French reprendre, from Latin… …   English terms dictionary

  • reprieve — [ri prēv′] vt. reprieved, reprieving [earlier repry < Anglo Fr repris < MFr, pp. of reprendre, to take back, prob. altered by assoc. with ME repreven,REPROVE] 1. to postpone the punishment of; esp., to postpone the execution of (a person… …   English World dictionary

  • reprieve — noun ADJECTIVE ▪ brief, temporary ▪ welcome ▪ last minute ▪ He was saved from the electric chair by a last minute reprieve. VERB + REPRIEVE …   Collocations dictionary

  • reprieve — n. 1) to give, grant a reprieve 2) to get, receive a reprieve 3) a reprieve from * * * [rɪ priːv] grant a reprieve receive a reprieve a reprieve from to get to give …   Combinatory dictionary

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