Respite vs Refrain - What's the difference?
respite | refrain |
A brief interval of rest or relief.
* Denham
* Shakespeare
*, chapter=10
, title= * 2013 May 23, (Sarah Lyall), "
(legal) A reprieve, especially from a sentence of death.
(legal) The delay of appearance at court granted to a jury beyond the proper term.
To delay or postpone.
(archaic) To hold back, to restrain (someone or something).
* Proverbs i:15 .
(reflexive, archaic) To show restraint; to hold oneself back.
* 1526 , (William Tyndale), trans. Bible , Acts V:
*
* Bible, Proverbs i. 15
To stop oneself (from) some action or interference; to abstain.
* Bible, Acts v. 38
* Sir Thomas Browne
*
The chorus or burden of a song repeated at the end of each verse or stanza.
A much repeated comment, complaint, or saying.
As nouns the difference between respite and refrain
is that respite is a brief interval of rest or relief while refrain is .As a verb respite
is to delay or postpone.respite
English
Noun
(en noun)- Some pause and respite only I require.
- I crave but four day's respite .
The Mirror and the Lamp, passage=It was a joy to snatch some brief respite , and find himself in the rectory drawing–room. Listening here was as pleasant as talking; just to watch was pleasant. The young priests who lived here wore cassocks and birettas; their faces were fine and mild, yet really strong, like the rector's face; and in their intercourse with him and his wife they seemed to be brothers.}}
British Leader’s Liberal Turn Sets Off a Rebellion in His Party," New York Times (retrieved 29 May 2013):
- Mr. Cameron had a respite Thursday from the negative chatter swirling around him when he appeared outside 10 Downing Street to denounce the murder a day before of a British soldier on a London street.
Verb
(en-verb)refrain
English
Etymology 1
From a combination of (etyl) refraindre, (etyl) refreindre (from (etyl) refrangere), and (etyl) refrener, (etyl) refrener (from (etyl) refrenare).Verb
(en verb)- Refrain thy foot from their path.
- And nowe I saye unto you: refrayne youreselves from these men, and let them alone [...].
- his reson aperceyueth it wel that it is synne / agayns the lawe of god / and yet his reson / refreyneth nat his foul delit or talent.
- Refrain thy foot from their path.
- Refrain from these men, and let them alone.
- They refrained therefrom [eating flesh] some time after.
- Who, requiring a remedy for his gout, received no other counsel than to refrain cold drink.
Etymology 2
From (etyl) refrain, from the (etyl) verb . See refract and the verb refrain.Noun
(wikipedia refrain) (en noun)- We hear the wild refrain . Whittier.