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Webster 1913 Edition

Release

Re-lease′

(r?-l?s′)
,
Verb.
T.
[Pref.
re
+
lease
to let.]
To lease again; to grant a new lease of; to let back.

Re-lease′

(r?-l?s′)
,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Released
(r?-l?st′)
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Releasing
.]
[OE.
relessen
, OF.
relassier
, to release, to let free. See
Relay
,
Noun.
,
Relax
, and cf.
Release
to lease again.]
1.
To let loose again; to set free from restraint, confinement, or servitude; to give liberty to, or to set at liberty; to let go.
Now at that feast he
released
unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired.
Mark xv. 6.
2.
To relieve from something that confines, burdens, or oppresses, as from pain, trouble, obligation, penalty.
3.
(Law)
To let go, as a legal claim; to discharge or relinquish a right to, as lands or tenements, by conveying to another who has some right or estate in possession, as when the person in remainder releases his right to the tenant in possession; to quit.
4.
To loosen; to relax; to remove the obligation of;
as, to
release
an ordinance
.
[Obs.]
Hooker.
A sacred vow that none should aye
release
.
Spenser.
Syn. – To free; liberate; loose; discharge; disengage; extricate; let go; quit; acquit.

Re-lease′

,
Noun.
1.
The act of letting loose or freeing, or the state of being let loose or freed; liberation or discharge from restraint of any kind, as from confinement or bondage.
“Who boast’st release from hell.”
Milton.
2.
Relief from care, pain, or any burden.
3.
Discharge from obligation or responsibility, as from debt, penalty, or claim of any kind; acquittance.
4.
(Law)
A giving up or relinquishment of some right or claim; a conveyance of a man's right in lands or tenements to another who has some estate in possession; a quitclaim.
Blackstone.
5.
(Steam Engine)
The act of opening the exhaust port to allow the steam to escape.
Lease and release
.
(Law)
See under
Lease
.
–
Out of release
,
without cessation.
[Obs.]
Chaucer.
Syn. – Liberation; freedom; discharge. See
Death
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Release

RELE'ASE

, v.t.
1.
To set free from restraint of any kind, either physical or moral; to liberate from prison, confinement or servitude.
Matt. 15. Mark 15.
2.
To free from pain, care, trouble, grief, &c.
3.
To free from obligation or penalty; as, to release one from debt, from a promise or covenant.
4.
To quit; to let go, as a legal claim; as, to release a debt or forfeiture. Deut. 15.
5.
To discharge or relinquish a right to lands or tenements, by conveying it to another that has some right or estate in possession, as when the person in remainder releases his right to the tenant in possession; when one co-parcener releases his right to the other; or the mortgagee releases his claim to the mortgager.
6.
To relax. [Not in use.]

RELE'ASE

, n.
1.
Liberation or discharge from restraint of any kind, as from confinement or bondage.
2.
Liberation from care, pain or any burden.
3.
Discharge from obligation or responsibility, as from debt, penalty or claim of any kind; acquittance.
4.
In law, a release or deed of release is a conveyance of a man's right in lands or tenements to another who has some estate in possession; a quitclaim. The efficient words in such an instrument are, 'remised, released, and forever quitclaimed.'

Definition 2024

release

release

English

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɹɪˈliːs/
  • Rhymes: -iːs

Noun

release ‎(plural releases)

  1. The event of setting (someone or something) free (e.g. hostages, slaves, prisoners, caged animals, hooked or stuck mechanisms).
    • 2013 May-June, Charles T. Ambrose, “Alzheimer’s Disease”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3, page 200:
      Similar studies of rats have employed four different intracranial resorbable, slow sustained release systems—surgical foam, a thermal gel depot, a microcapsule or biodegradable polymer beads.
  2. (software) The distribution of an initial or new and upgraded version of a computer software product; the distribution can be either public or private.
  3. Anything recently released or made available (as for sale).
    The video store advertised that it had all the latest releases.‎
  4. That which is released, untied or let go.
    They marked the occasion with a release of butterflies.‎
  5. (biochemistry) The process by which a chemical substance is set free.
  6. (phonetics, sound synthesis) The act or manner of ending a sound.
  7. (railways, historical) In the block system, a printed card conveying information and instructions to be used at intermediate sidings without telegraphic stations.
  8. A device adapted to hold or release a device or mechanism as required.
    1. A catch on a motor-starting rheostat, which automatically releases the rheostat arm and so stops the motor in case of a break in the field circuit.
    2. The catch on an electromagnetic circuit breaker for a motor, triggered in the event of an overload.
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations

Verb

release ‎(third-person singular simple present releases, present participle releasing, simple past and past participle released) (transitive)

  1. To let go (of); to cease to hold or contain.
    He released his grasp on the lever.‎
  2. To make available to the public.
    They released the new product later than intended.‎
  3. To free or liberate; to set free.
    He was released after two years in prison.‎
  4. To discharge.
    They released thousands of gallons of water into the river each month.‎
  5. (telephony) (of a call) To hang up.
    If you continue to use abusive language, I will need to release the call.‎
  6. (law) To let go, as a legal claim; to discharge or relinquish a right to, as lands or tenements, by conveying to another who has some right or estate in possession, as when the person in remainder releases his right to the tenant in possession; to quit.
  7. To loosen; to relax; to remove the obligation of.
    to release an ordinance
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Hooker to this entry?)
  8. (soccer) To set up; to provide with a goal-scoring opportunity
    • 2011 September 13, Sam Lyon, “Borussia Dortmund 1-1 Arsenal”, in BBC:
      With the Gunners far too lightweight in midfield, Mikel Arteta dropped back into a deeper-lying role. This freed Yossi Benayoun to go further forward, a move that helped forge a rare Arsenal chance on 30 minutes when the Israeli released Van Persie, only for the Dutchman's snap-shot to be tipped around the post.
  9. (biochemistry) To set free a chemical substance.
Antonyms
Translations

Etymology 2

re- +‎ lease

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɹiːˈliːs/
  • Rhymes: -iːs

Verb

release ‎(third-person singular simple present releases, present participle releasing, simple past and past participle released)

  1. (transitive) To lease again; to grant a new lease of; to let back.
Translations

Etymology

From Old French relaisser (variant of relascher).

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