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Relent vs Resentment - What's the difference?

relent | resentment |

As nouns the difference between relent and resentment

is that relent is stay; stop; delay while resentment is a feeling of anger or displeasure stemming from belief that one has been wronged by others or betrayed; indignation.

As a verb 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.

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.

    resentment

    English

    Noun

  • A feeling of anger or displeasure stemming from belief that one has been wronged by others or betrayed; indignation.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2012 , date=August 5 , author=Nathan Rabin , title=TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “I Love Lisa” (season 4, episode 15; originally aired 02/11/1993) citation , page= , passage=“I Love Lisa” opens with one of my favorite underappreciated running jokes from The Simpsons : the passive-aggressive, quietly contentious relationship of radio jocks Bill and Marty, whose mindless happy talk regularly gives way to charged exchanges that betray the simmering resentment and disappointment perpetually lingering just under the surface of their relationship.}}
  • * 1812 ,
    • Amongst the most violent against him was Mrs. Bennet, whose dislike of his general behaviour was sharpened into particular resentment by his having slighted one of her daughters.
  • (obsolete) The state of holding something in the mind as a subject of contemplation, or of being inclined to reflect upon it; feeling; impression.
  • * Dr. H. More
    • He retains vivid resentments of the more solid morality.
  • * Jeremy Taylor
    • It is a greater wonder that so many of them die, with so little resentment of their danger.
  • (obsolete) satisfaction; gratitude
  • * 1651 , The Council Book
    • The Council taking notice of the many good services performed by Mr. John Milton have thought fit to declare their resentment and good acceptance of the same.

    See also

    * dudgeon * umbrage