What does "reprieve" mean?
Reprieve: To relieve for a time, or temporarily. Company, thought it may reprieve a man from his melaneholy yet can not secure him from his conscience. South.
Additional senses
- 2.A temporary suspension of the execution of a sentence, especially of a sentence of death. The morning Sir John Hotham was to die, a reprieve was sent to suspend the execution for three days. Clarendon.
- 3.Interval of ease or relief; respite. All that I ask is but a short reprieve, ll I forget to love, and learn to grieve. Denham.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
- Canonical URL: https://worddirectanswers.com/answers/what-does-reprieve-mean
- Steward: Jason Burns
- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00