Reprieve (rî-prêv´) verb, transitive 1 To delay the punishment of; to suspend the execution of sentence on; to give a respite to; to respite; as, to reprieve a criminal for thirty days 2 To relieve for a time, or temporarily
the act of reprieving; postponing or remitting punishment a warrant granting postponement (usually to postpone the execution of the death sentence) a (temporary) relief from harm or discomfort relieve temporarily postpone the punishment of a convicted criminal, such as an execution
If someone who has been sentenced in a court is reprieved, their punishment is officially delayed or cancelled. Fourteen people, waiting to be hanged for the murder of a former prime minister, have been reprieved. Reprieve is also a noun A man awaiting death by lethal injection has been saved by a last minute reprieve
A reprieve is a delay before a very unpleasant or difficult situation which may or may not take place. It looked as though the college would have to shut, but this week it was given a reprieve