reprieve
re|prieve /rɪpr'iːv/ (reprieves reprieving reprieved)
1 [VERB] usu passive, no cont, be V-ed
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.
[N-VAR]
Reprieve is also a noun
A man awaiting death by lethal injection has been saved by a last minute reprieve.
2 [N-COUNT] usu sing
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.
1 [VERB] usu passive, no cont, be V-ed
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.
[N-VAR]
Reprieve is also a noun
A man awaiting death by lethal injection has been saved by a last minute reprieve.
2 [N-COUNT] usu sing
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.