From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishrespiteres‧pite /ˈrespɪt, -paɪt $ -pɪt/ noun [singular, uncountable] 1 PAUSEa short time when something bad stops happening, so that the situation is temporarily betterrespite from The trip was a welcome respite from the pressures of work. a brief respite from persecutionwithout respite The pain went on without respite.2 DELAYa short period of time before you have to do something that you do not like We have a few days’ respite before we have to pay them.
Examples from the Corpus
respite• He obtained from them a respite.• The drug can only provide a brief respite in the pain.• The citizens had only a few days' respite from the conflict, before the shelling began again.• For the Dwarfs it was a much needed respite.• Weathermen yesterday warned that there would be no respite from the gales.• For the next five days we had no respite.• There was no respite from them, nowhere to hide from them.• The noise went on all night, without a single moment's respite.• But the success brought only a short respite.• Some mothers regard work as a welcome respite from the stress of looking after a home and children.• And now the archers were shooting at will, selecting their targets where they best offered, without haste and without respite.brief respite• However, after a brief respite at Ossett everyone agreed to continue.• Nearby, the remainder of the squadron was stirring after a brief respite in a busy twenty-four period.• Then he, too, requires a brief respite from corporeal entombment.• Follow this to a brief respite and winding shed.• There have only been brief respites.• The brief respite before the pests could fight back reflects the wait for a mutation.Origin respite (1200-1300) Old French respit, from Medieval Latin respectus; → RESPECT1 