respite

Plural: respites

Noun

• a (temporary) relief from harm or discomfort
• a pause from doing something (as work)
• an interruption in the intensity or amount of something
• a pause for relaxation
• the act of reprieving; postponing or remitting punishment
• A brief interval of rest or relief.
• A reprieve, especially from a sentence of death.
• The delay of appearance at court granted to a jury beyond the proper term.
• A short period of spoken dialogue in an otherwise sung-through musical.

Verb

Verb Forms: respited, respiting, respites

• To provide a period of rest or relief from something.
• postpone the punishment of a convicted criminal, such as an execution
• To delay or postpone (an event).
• To allow (a person) extra time to fulfil some obligation.

Examples

• A well-placed defensive word can respite an opponent’s scoring streak in Words With Friends.

Synonyms

abatement, break, hiatus, recess, relief, reprieve, rest, rest period, suspension, time out, alleviation, breather, caesura, cessation, comfort, consolation, demurral, ease, gap, halt, halting, interregnum, interruption, lapse, liss, moratorium, pause, release, respite, resting, solace, stoppage, stopping

Anagrams of respite