relinquish
Americanverb
-
to give up (a task, struggle, etc); abandon
-
to surrender or renounce (a claim, right, etc)
-
to release; let go
Related Words
See abandon.
Other Word Forms
- nonrelinquishment noun
- relinquisher noun
- relinquishment noun
- unrelinquished adjective
- unrelinquishing adjective
Etymology
Origin of relinquish
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English relinquissen, relinquisshen, from Middle French relinquiss-, long stem of relinquir ≪ Latin relinquere “to leave behind,” equivalent to re- re- + linquere “to leave” (akin to lend )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But the key element that alarmed and upset some rival studio executives was the stipulation that the studio would relinquish ownership of “Sinners” to Coogler after 25 years.
From Los Angeles Times
The Briton lost just one point over his next three service games and would not relinquish control of the tie-break after winning four of the first five points.
From BBC
Hedda, like Hamlet, doesn’t relinquish her mystery, which is why we keep returning to her tragedy.
From Los Angeles Times
Soon after, he announced a "framework for a future deal" around the US and Greenland, after Denmark and Nato allies made it clear that they would not give in to his calls to relinquish sovereignty.
From BBC
Skiers have to re-don their skis at the top for one final climb, and Fatton was much slicker than Harrop, racing away to a lead she never looked likely to relinquish.
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
