relinquish Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb part with a possession or right
    release; give up; free; resign.
    • I am relinquishing my bedroom to the long-term house guest
    • resign a claim to the throne
  2. verb do without or cease to hold or adhere to
    foreswear; forego; waive; forgo; dispense with.
    • We are dispensing with formalities
    • relinquish the old ideas
  3. verb turn away from; give up
    foreswear; quit; renounce.
    • I am foreswearing women forever
  4. verb release, as from one's grip
    release; let go; let go of.
    • Let go of the door handle, please!
    • relinquish your grip on the rope--you won't fall

WordNet

Re*lin"quish transitive verb
Etymology
OF. relinquir, L. relinquere to leave behind; pref. re- re + linquere to leave. See Loan, and cf. Relic, Relict.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Relinquished present participle & verbal noun Relinquishing
Definitions
  1. To withdraw from; to leave behind; to desist from; to abandon; to quit; as, to relinquish a pursuit.
    We ought to relinquish such rites. Hooker.
    They placed Irish tenants upon the lands relinquished by the English. Sir J. Davies.
  2. To give up; to renounce a claim to; resign; as, to relinquish a debt. Syn. -- To resign; leave; quit; forsake; abandon; desert; renounce; forbar; forego. See Resign.

Webster 1913