Relent

5 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Relent \Re*lent"\ (r?-l?nt"), v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Relented}; p.
     pr. & vb. n. {Relenting}.] [F. ralentir, fr. L. pref. re- re-
     + ad to + lentus pliant, flexible, slow. See {Lithe}.]
     1. To become less rigid or hard; to yield; to dissolve; to
        melt; to deliquesce. [Obs.]
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              He stirred the coals till relente gan
              The wax again the fire.               --Chaucer.
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              [Salt of tartar] placed in a cellar will . . . begin
              to relent.                            --Boyle.
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              When opening buds salute the welcome day,
              And earth, relenting, feels the genial ray. --Pope.
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     2. To become less severe or intense; to become less hard,
        harsh, cruel, or the like; to soften in temper; to become
        more mild and tender; to feel compassion.
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              Can you . . . behold
              My sighs and tears, and will not once relent?
                                                    --Shak.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Relent \Re*lent"\, v. t.
     1. To slacken; to abate. [Obs.]
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              And oftentimes he would relent his pace. --Spenser.
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     2. To soften; to dissolve. [Obs.]
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     3. To mollify; to cause to be less harsh or severe. [Obs.]
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Relent \Re*lent"\ (r?-l?nt"), n.
     Stay; stop; delay. [Obs.]
     [1913 Webster]
  
           Nor rested till she came without relent
           Unto the land of Amazons.                --Spenser.
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From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  relent
       v : give in, as to influence or pressure [syn: {yield}, {soften}]
           [ant: {stand}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  71 Moby Thesaurus words for "relent":
     accede, accept, acquiesce, assent, be agreeable, be conservative,
     be moderate, be pacifistic, bend, capitulate, come round, comply,
     compromise, consent, die down, ease off, ebb, face the music, fall,
     forbear, forgive, give, give ground, give quarter, give way,
     go along with, have mercy upon, have pity, keep the peace,
     keep within bounds, keep within compass, knock under, knuckle down,
     knuckle under, let up, let up on, live temperately, live with it,
     melt, moderate, not make waves, not resist, obey, pardon,
     practice nonviolence, practice self-control, relax, remit,
     reprieve, resign, settle down, show mercy, show pity, slacken,
     sober down, soften, spare, strike a balance, submit, subside,
     succumb, swallow it, swallow the pill, take, take in sail, take it,
     take pity on, thaw, unbend, wane, yield