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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Relent \Re*lent"\ (r?-l?nt"), verb (used without an object) [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.]
He stirred the coals till relente gan The wax again the fire. --Chaucer.
[Salt of tartar] placed in a cellar will . . . begin to relent. --Boyle.
When opening buds salute the welcome day, And earth, relenting, feels the genial ray. --Pope.
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.
Can you . . . behold My sighs and tears, and will not once relent? --Shak.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Relent \Re*lent"\, verb (used with an object)
1. To slacken; to abate. [Obs.]
And oftentimes he would relent his pace. --Spenser.
2. To soften; to dissolve. [Obs.]
3. To mollify; to cause to be less harsh or severe. [Obs.]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Relent \Re*lent"\ (r?-l?nt"), noun Stay; stop; delay. [Obs.]
Nor rested till she came without relent Unto the land of Amazons. --Spenser.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
relent
verb: 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
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