RELENT
yield, relent, soften
(verb) give in, as to influence or pressure
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Noun
relent (plural relents)
Stay; stop; delay.
(obsolete) A relenting.
Verb
relent (third-person singular simple present relents, present participle relenting, simple past and past participle relented)
(intransitive) To become less severe or intense; to become less hard, harsh, or cruel; to soften in temper
(intransitive) To slacken; to abate.
(obsolete, transitive) To lessen, make less severe or intense.
(dated, intransitive, of substance) To become less rigid or hard; to soften; to yield, for example by dissolving or melting
Adjective
relent (comparative more relent, superlative most relent)
(obsolete) softhearted; yielding
Source: Wiktionary
Re*lent" (r-lnt"), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Relented; p. pr. & vb. n.
Relenting.] Etym: [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.
Re*lent", v. t.
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.]
Re*lent" (r-lnt"), n.
Definition: Stay; stop; delay. [Obs.]
Nor rested till she came without relent Unto the land of Amazona.
Spenser.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition