relent

English

Etymology

From Middle English relenten, from Anglo-Norman relentir, from Latin re- + lentare (“to bend”), from lentus (“soft, pliant, slow”). Earliest recording dates to 1526.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɹɪˈlɛnt/
• Rhymes: -ɛnt

• Audio (UK):

  (file)

Noun

relent (plural relents)

1. Stay; stop; delay.
   • 2015, Mel Parson, First Sign of Trouble (song)

     There was no relent, my dear, as we pulled each other in.

2. (obsolete) A relenting.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Edmund Spenser to this entry?)

Derived terms

• relentless

Translations

stop, delay

• Dutch: verblijf (nl) n, oponthoud (nl) n
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Finnish: viivästys (fi), pysähdys (fi)

Verb

relent (third-person singular simple present relents, present participle relenting, simple past and past participle relented)

1. (intransitive) To become less severe or intense; to become less hard, harsh, or cruel; to soften in temper; to become more mild and tender; to feel compassion.

   He had planned to ground his son for a month, but relented and decided to give him a stern lecture instead.

   • 1989', Kazuo Ishiguro The Remains of the Day

     I did, I suppose, hope that she might finally relent a little and make some conciliatory response or other.

   • 1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Sixt”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:

     Can you, my Lord of Winchester, behold
     My sighs and tears and will not once relent?

2. (intransitive) To slacken; to abate.

   We waited for the storm to relent before we ventured outside.

   He will not relent in his effort to reclaim his victory.

3. (obsolete, transitive) To lessen, make less severe or intense.
   • 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, III.iv:

     But nothing might relent her hastie flight; / So deepe the deadly feare of that foule swaine / Was earst impressed in her gentle spright […]

4. (dated, intransitive) To become less rigid or hard; to soften; to yield; to dissolve; to melt; to deliquesce.
   • (Can we date this quote by Boyle and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)

     [Salt of tartar] placed in a cellar will […] begin to relent.

   • (Can we date this quote by Alexander Pope and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)

     When opening buds salute the welcome day, / And earth, relenting, feels the genial ray.

Translations

become less severe, soften in temper

• Czech: smilovat se, obměkčit se, slitovat se
• Dutch: ^{(please verify)} milder worden , milderen (nl), verzachten (nl)
• Finnish: lauhtua (fi), leppyä (fi)
• Italian: cedere (it)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Maori: whakangāwari, māriri
• Persian: نرم شدن (narm šodan)
• Romanian: a se înmuia (ro)
• Russian: смягча́ться (ru) (smjaxčátʹsja)

slacken, abate

• Czech: ochabnout
• Dutch: verslappen (nl)
• Finnish: laantua (fi)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Italian: placare (it)
• Maori: whakangoru, māwhe, tāngangao

become less rigid, yield

• Czech: změknout, povolit
• Dutch: verzachten (nl), ^{(please verify)} zachter worden , oplossen (nl), smelten (nl), meegeven (nl)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Finnish: pehmetä, taipua (fi)
• Maori: whakangāwari, ngawhere, hauraro

Adjective

relent (comparative more relent, superlative most relent)

1. (obsolete) softhearted; yielding

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French

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

relent m (plural relents)

1. lingering smell (usually bad); stench
2. (figuratively) overtone

Further reading

• “relent”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

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Middle English

Verb

relent

1. Alternative form of relenten