- 1
When you relent, you stop being so hard on someone. You were saying no, or keeping a strict rule, or even being — and then something in you gives way. You become softer. You let them have what they asked for, or you punish them less, or you stop pushing.
When you relent當你relent, you你 stop being so hard on someone代表不再對某人那麼嚴厲。You你 were saying no原本說不行, or keeping a strict rule或堅持一條嚴格的規定, or even being unkind甚至有點不友善 — and then然後 something in you gives way你心裡有什麼東西鬆動了。You你 become softer變得比較軟化。You你 let them have what they asked for讓他們得到原本要求的東西, or或 you punish them less減輕對他們的處罰, or you stop pushing或不再逼他們
People often use it after a long fight of wills: someone holds the line for a while, and then they relent. It is not the light everyday word that give in or ease up is; you meet it in stories, in the news, and in careful adult speech. Younger speakers in ordinary talk more often say give in, back down, or go easier on them.
People人們 often use it常用這個字 after a long fight of wills在一場長期的意志拉鋸之後: someone holds the line for a while某人堅持立場一段時間, and then然後 they relent才relent。It它 is not the light everyday word不是那種輕鬆的日常用字 that give in or ease up isgive in或ease up; you你 meet it會遇到它 in stories, in the news, and in careful adult speech在故事、新聞和講究的成人談話裡。Younger speakers年輕人 in ordinary talk在日常對話裡 more often比較常 say give in, back down, or go easier on them說give in、back down，或go easier on them
Though actually, the same word stretches off people too: rain that will not relent will not stop, and pain that will not relent will not get lighter. That is still the old picture of something that will not .
Though actually不過事實上, the same word同一個字 stretches off people too也可以用在人以外的東西上: rain that will not relent不會relent的雨 will not stop代表不會停, and pain that will not relent不會relent的痛 will not get lighter代表不會減輕。That這 is still仍然是 the old picture of something that will not soften「某樣東西不肯軟化」的老畫面
The heart of the word, though, is a person who was being strict or cruel, and then, not always happily, lets that hardness bend.
The heart of the word這個字的核心, though不過, is是 a person who was being strict or cruel一個原本很嚴格或很殘忍的人, and then然後, not always happily不一定心甘情願地, lets that hardness bend讓那份強硬鬆動下來
組成Latin re- (back / again) + lentare, “to bend,” from lentus, “soft, able to bend, slow.” The old picture is becoming soft again, or bending back. It came into English through Anglo-Norman relentir and Middle English relenten; English has used it since the 1500s. The noun, which is rare, came from the verb.
同家族的字
- relentlessrelent + -less: not softening, never giving in
原始詞典資料7 筆記錄
以下是外部詞典記錄的用法，原文照列，我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的；有些用法可能上面已經講過了。
relentverb/ɹɪˈlɛnt/
- 1
To give in or be swayed; to become less hard, harsh, or cruel; to show clemency.
- He had planned to ground his son for a month, but relented and decided to give him a stern lecture instead.
- Can you, my Lord of Winchester, behold My sighs and tears and will not once relent?
- 2
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.
- 3
obsoleteTo lessen, make less severe or intense.
- But nothing might relent her hastie flight; / So deepe the deadly feare of that foule swaine / Was earst impressed in her gentle spright […]
- 4
datedTo become less rigid or hard; to soften; to yield, for example by dissolving or melting
- [Salt of tartar] placed in a cellar will […] begin to relent.
- When opening buds salute the welcome day, / And earth, relenting, feels the genial ray.
relentnoun/ɹɪˈlɛnt/
- 1
A stay; a stop; a delay.
- There was no relent, my dear, as we pulled each other in.
- The pistons of this engine moved without relent.
- 2
obsoleteA relenting.
relentadj/ɹɪˈlɛnt/
- 1
obsoleteSofthearted; yielding.
資料來源：英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary（CC BY-SA 4.0）。 原文照列，未經改寫。