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Relent vs Condone - What's the difference?

relent | condone |

As verbs the difference between relent and condone

is that relent is to become less severe or intense; to become less hard, harsh, or cruel; to soften in temper; to become more mild and tender; to feel compassion while condone is to forgive, excuse or overlook (something).

As a noun relent

is stay; stop; delay.

relent

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • Stay; stop; delay.
  • Derived terms

    * relentless

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To become less severe or intense; to become less hard, harsh, or cruel; to soften in temper; to become more mild and tender; to feel compassion.
  • He relented of his plan to murder his opponent, and decided just to teach him a lesson instead.
    I did, I suppose, hope that she might finally relent a little and make some conciliatory response or other. (from "The Remains of the Day"? by Kazuo Ishiguro)
  • * Shakespeare
  • Can you behold / My sighs and tears, and will not once relent ?
  • To slacken; to abate.
  • We waited for the storm to relent before we ventured outside.
    He will not relent in his effort to reclaim his victory.
  • (obsolete) To lessen, make less severe or fast.
  • * 1590 , Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene , III.iv:
  • But nothing might relent her hastie flight; / So deepe the deadly feare of that foule swaine / Was earst impressed in her gentle spright [...].
  • (dated) To become less rigid or hard; to soften; to yield; to dissolve; to melt; to deliquesce.
  • * Boyle
  • [Salt of tartar] placed in a cellar will begin to relent .
  • * Alexander Pope
  • When opening buds salute the welcome day, / And earth, relenting , feels the genial ray.

    condone

    English

    Verb

    (condon)
  • To forgive, excuse or overlook (something).
  • *{{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)
  • , chapter=18 citation , passage=‘Then the father has a great fight with his terrible conscience,’ said Munday with granite seriousness. ‘Should he make a row with the police […]?  Or should he say nothing about it and condone brutality for fear of appearing in the newspapers?}}
  • To allow, accept or permit (something).
  • (legal) To forgive (marital infidelity or other marital offense).
  • Anagrams

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