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.
[1913 Webster]
2. Interval of ease or relief; respite.
[1913 Webster]
All that I ask is but a short reprieve,
ll I forget to love, and learn to grieve. --Denham.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
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 reject, condemn; pref. re- re- + probare to try,
prove. See Prove, and cf. Reprove, Reprobate.]
[1913 Webster]
1. To delay the punishment of; to suspend the execution of
sentence on; to give a respite to; to respite; as, to
reprieve a criminal for thirty days.
[1913 Webster]
He reprieves the sinnner from time to time.
--Rogers.
[1913 Webster]
2. To relieve for a time, or temporarily.
[1913 Webster]
Company, thought it may reprieve a man from his
melaneholy yet can not secure him from his
conscience. --South.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
reprieve
n 1: a (temporary) relief from harm or discomfort [syn: respite]
2: an interruption in the intensity or amount of something
[syn: suspension, respite, hiatus, abatement]
3: a warrant granting postponement (usually to postpone the
execution of the death sentence)
4: the act of reprieving; postponing or remitting punishment
[syn: respite]
v 1: postpone the punishment of a convicted criminal, such as an
execution [syn: respite]
2: relieve temporarily
WordNet (r) 2.0
118 Moby Thesaurus words for "reprieve":
absolution, afterthought, amnesty, benevolence, bind, block,
blockage, bureaucratic delay, catharsis, cleanse, cleanse away,
cleansing, clemency, commiseration, compassion, condolence, delay,
delayage, delayed reaction, deliver, deliverance, detention,
discharge, double take, dragging, emotional release, exculpation,
excuse, exemption, exoneration, favor, feeling, forbear,
forbearance, forgive, forgiveness, free, free from, freeing,
give quarter, give release, give respite, grace, grant a reprieve,
halt, hang-up, have mercy upon, have pity, hindrance, holdup,
humanity, immunity, indemnity, interim, intermission, intermit,
jam, kindness, lag, lagging, leniency, let off, let up on, logjam,
melt, mercy, mitigation, moratorium, obstruction, paperasserie,
pardon, pathos, pause, pity, postponement, purgation, purge,
purge away, purging, quarter, red tape, red-tapeism, red-tapery,
redemption, relax, release, relent, relief, remission,
remission of sin, removal, remove, rescue, respite, retardance,
retardation, ruth, save, self-pity, shrift, slow-up, slowdown,
slowness, spare, sparing, stay, stay of execution, stop, stoppage,
surcease, suspend, suspension, sympathy, take pity on, thaw,
tie-up, time lag, wait
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
REPRIEVE, crim. law practice. This term is derived from reprendre, to take
back, and signifies the withdrawing of a sentence for an interval of time,
and operates in delay of execution. 4 Bl. Com. 394. It is granted by the
favor of the pardoning power, or by the court who tried the prisoner.
3. Reprieves are sometimes granted ex necessitate legis; for example,
when a woman is convicted of a capital offence, after judgment she may
allege pregnancy in delay of execution. In order, however, to render this
plea available she must be quick with child, (q.v.) the law presuming,
perhaps absurdly enough, that before that period, life does not commence in
the foetus. 3 Inst. 17; 2 Hale, 413; 1 Hale, 368; 4 Bl. Com. 395.
4. The judge is also bound to grant a reprieve when the prisoner
becomes insane. 4 Harg. St. Tr. 205, 6; 3 Inst. 4; Hawk B. 1, c. 1, s. 4; 1
Chit. Cr. Law, 757.
Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856)
abatement, hiatus, respite, suspension
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