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