reprieve

Meanings

1. To cancel or postpone the punishment of someone, especially an execution.
2. To bring relief to someone.
3. To take back to prison (in lieu of execution).
4. To abandon or postpone plans to close, withdraw or abolish (something).

1. The cancellation or postponement of a punishment.
2. A document authorizing such an action.
3. Relief from pain etc., especially temporary.
4. A cancellation or postponement of a proposed event undesired by many.

Etymology

First use appears c. 1513 in the writings of Robert Fabyan. In the sense of “to take back to prison”, from Middle English repryen (“to remand, detain”) (1494), possibly from Middle French repris, in the form of reprendre (“take back”); a cognate to reprise. The sense has become generalized, but does retain connotations of punishment and execution. The noun's first use appears c. 1592.