RES'PIT, noun 1. Pause; temporary intermission of labor, or of any process or operation; interval of rest. Some pause and respit only I require. 2. In law, reprieve; temporary suspension of the execution of a capital offender. 3. Delay; forbearance; prolongation of time for the payment of a debt beyond the legal time. 4. The delay of appearance at court granted to a jury, beyond the proper term. RES'PIT, verb transitive 1. To relieve by a pause or interval of rest. To respit his day-labor with repast. 2. To suspend the execution of a criminal beyond the time limited by the sentence; to delay for a time. 3. To give delay of appearance at court; as, to respit a jury.
Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary ↗ · public-domain · returned verbatim, no AI