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Definition of respite noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

respite

noun
 
/ˈrespaɪt/
 
/ˈrespɪt/
[singular, uncountable]
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  1. respite (from something) a short break or escape from something difficult or unpleasant
    • The drug brought a brief respite from the pain.
    • There was no respite from the suffocating heat.
    • She continued to work without respite.
    • respite care (= temporary care arranged for somebody who is old, ill, etc. so that the people who usually care for them can have a rest)
    Synonyms restrestbreak respite time out breathing spaceThese are all words for a short period of time spent relaxing.rest a period of relaxing, sleeping or doing nothing after a period of activity:
    • We stopped for a well-earned rest.
    break a short period of time when you stop what you are doing and rest or eat:
    • Let’s take a break.
    In British English break is a period of time between lessons at school. The North American English word is recess.
    respite a short break from something difficult or unpleasant:
    • The drug brought a brief respite from the pain.
    time out (especially North American English, informal) time for resting or relaxing away from your usual work or studies:
    • Take time out to relax by the pool.
    breathing space a short rest in the middle of a period of mental or physical effort:
    • This delay gives the party a breathing space in which to sort out its policies.
    Patterns
    • (a) rest/​break/​respite/​time out from something
    • to have/​take (a) rest/​break/​time out
    • to give somebody (a) rest/​break/​respite/​breathing space
    Extra Examples
    • The storm continued for two hours without respite.
    • The tablets brought temporary respite from the excruciating pain.
    • They had no respite from the demands of their children.
    • a brief respite from the ringing of the phone
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • brief
    • little
    • momentary
    verb + respite
    • enjoy
    • have
    • bring (somebody)
    respite + noun
    • care
    preposition
    • without respite
    • respite from
    phrases
    • a period of respite
    See full entry
  2. a short delay allowed before something difficult or unpleasant must be done synonym reprieve
    • His creditors agreed to give him a temporary respite.
  3. Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French respit, from Latin respectus ‘refuge, consideration’.
See respite in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
alloy
noun
 
 
From the Topic
Physics and chemistry
C2
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