Part 184

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.]

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Re*lent" (r?-l?nt"), n. Stay; stop; delay. [Obs.]

Nor rested till she came without relent Unto the land of Amazons.

Spenser.

Re*lent"less, a. Unmoved by appeals for sympathy or forgiveness; insensible to the distresses of others; destitute of tenderness; unrelenting; unyielding; unpitying; as, a prey to relentless despotism.

For this the avenging power employs his darts, . . . Thus will persist, relentless in his ire.

Dryden.

-- Re*lent"less*ly, adv. -- Re*lent"less*ness, n.

Re*lent"ment (-ment), n. The act or process of relenting; the state of having relented. Sir T. Browne.

Re*lesse" (r?-l?s"), v. t. To release. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Re`les*see" (r?`l?s-s?"), n. See Releasee.

Re`les*sor" (-s?r"), n. See Releasor.

Re-let" (r?-l?t"), v. t. To let anew, as a house.

{ Rel"e*vance (r?l"?*vans), Rel"e*van*cy (-van*s?), } n. 1. The quality or state of being relevant; pertinency; applicability.

Its answer little meaning, little relevancy bore.

Poe.

2. (Scots Law) Sufficiency to infer the conclusion.

Rel"e*vant (-vant), a. [F. relevant, p. pr. of relever to raise again, to relieve. See Relieve.] 1. Relieving; lending aid or support. [R.] Pownall.