respite
English
Etymology
From Anglo-Norman and Old French respit (“rest”), from Latin respectus. Doublet of respect.
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈɹɛˌspaɪt/, /ˈɹɛ.spɪt/
- (General American) IPA(key): /ˈɹɛ.spɪt/
Audio (UK) (file)
Noun
respite (countable and uncountable, plural respites)
- A brief interval of rest or relief.
- c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, [Act IV, scene ii]:
- I crave but four day's respite.
- 1668, Denham, John, “The Passion of Dido for Æneas”, in Poems and Translations with the Sophy, page 136:
- Some pause and respite only I require.
- 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter X, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, OCLC 4293071:
- It was a joy to snatch some brief respite, and find himself in the rectory drawing–room. Listening here was as pleasant as talking; just to watch was pleasant. The young priests who lived here wore cassocks and birettas; their faces were fine and mild, yet really strong, like the rector's face; and in their intercourse with him and his wife they seemed to be brothers.
- 2013 May 23, Lyall, Sarah, “British Leader's Liberal Turn Sets Off a Rebellion in His Party”, in New York Times, retrieved 29 May 2013:
- Mr. Cameron had a respite Thursday from the negative chatter swirling around him when he appeared outside 10 Downing Street to denounce the murder a day before of a British soldier on a London street.
- 2019 February 27, Drachinifel, The Battle of Samar - Odds? What are those?, archived from the original on 3 November 2022, retrieved 5 November 2022, 17:27 from the start:
- The American escort carriers reach the first in a series of rain squalls, and Japanese fire drops off significantly, as their optical systems are unable to see through the rain. At this point in time, almost any other major navy would simply have used their radar to keep spotting and firing, as Duke of York had done to Scharnhorst almost a year ago and as the battleships of the Seventh Fleet had done to the Yamashiro mere hours earlier. But, since only one ship in the Center Force has gunnery radar, the American ships gain some respite.
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- (law) A reprieve, especially from a sentence of death.
- (law) The delay of appearance at court granted to a jury beyond the proper term.
- (musical theatre) A short period of spoken dialogue in an otherwise sung-through musical.
Synonyms
- (brief interval): hiatus, moratorium, recess; see also Thesaurus:pause
Translations
brief interval of rest or relief
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(law) reprieve, especially from a sentence of death
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(law) delay of appearance at court granted to a jury beyond the proper term
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Verb
respite (third-person singular simple present respites, present participle respiting, simple past and past participle respited)
- (transitive) To delay or postpone (an event).
- (transitive) To allow (a person) extra time to fulfil some obligation.
Translations
(transitive) To delay or postpone
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Anagrams
- speerit, spreite