Respite
| n. | 1. | A putting off of that which was appointed; a postponement or delay. |
| 2. | Temporary intermission of labor, or of any process or operation; interval of rest; pause; delay. | |
| 3. | (Law) Temporary suspension of the execution of a capital offender; reprieve. | |
| v. t. | 1. | To give or grant a respite to. |
| 2. | To relieve by a pause or interval of rest. |
| Noun | 1. |  respite - a (temporary) relief from harm or discomfortSynonyms: reprieve |
| 2. | respite - a pause from doing something (as work); "we took a 10-minute break"; "he took time out to recuperate" | |
| 3. | respite - an interruption in the intensity or amount of something | |
| 4. |  respite - a pause for relaxation; "people actually accomplish more when they take time for short rests" | |
| 5. | respite - the act of reprieving; postponing or remitting punishment Synonyms: reprieve | |
| Verb | 1. | respite - postpone the punishment of a convicted criminal, such as an execution Synonyms: reprieve |
RESPITE, contracts, civil law. An act by which a debtor who is unable to
satisfy his debts at the moment, transacts (i. e. compromises) with his
creditors, and obtains from them time or delay for the payment of the sums
which he owes to them. Louis. Code, 3051.
2. The respite is either voluntary or forced; it is voluntary when all
the creditors consent to the proposal, which the debtor makes to pay in a
limited time the whole or a part of his debt; it is forced when a part of
the creditors refuse to accept the debtor's proposal, and when the latter
is obliged to compel them by judicial authority, to consent to what the
others have determined in the cases directed by law. Id. 3052; Poth.
Proced. Civ. 5eme partie, ch. 3.
3. In Pennsylvania, there is a provision in the insolvent act of June
16, 1836, s. 41, somewhat similar to involuntary respite. It is enacted,
that whenever a majority in number and value of the creditors of any
insolvent, as aforesaid, residing within the United States, or having a
known attorney therein, shall consent in writing thereto, it shall be lawful
for the court by whom such insolvent shall have been discharged, upon the
application of such debtor, and notice given thereof, in the manner
hereinbefore provided for giving notice of his original petition, to make an
order that the estate and effects which such insolvent may afterwards
acquire, shall be exempted for the term of seven years thereafter from
execution, for any debt contracted, or cause of action existing previously
to such discharge, and if after such order and consent, any execution shall
be issued for such debt or cause of action, it shall be the duty, of any
judge of the court from which such execution issued, to set aside the same
with costs.
4. Respite also signifies a delay, forbearance or continuation of time.
RESPITE, crim. law. A suspension of a sentence, which is to be executed at a future time. It differs from a pardon, which is in abolition of the crime. See Abolition; Pardon.
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