relinquish

/rɪˈlɪŋkwɪʃ/ (bre, ipa) · /rɪˈlɪŋkwɪʃ/ (ame, ipa) · /ri-ˈliŋ-kwish -ˈlin-/ (ame, mw)

relinquish — verb

  • relinquishpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • relinquisheshe / she / it
  • relinquishedpast simple
  • relinquishing-ing form

1. to formally give up a position of authority, a legal entitlement, or ownership o

1.動詞及物B2
釋義

to formally give up a position of authority, a legal entitlement, or ownership of land or property, especially because a rule, agreement, or situation demands it

例句

The company founder reluctantly relinquished control of the business when she retired at seventy.

collocation: relinquish control of [something]

Kwame relinquished his claim to the family estate so his sister could inherit the house.

collocation: relinquish a claim to [something]

同義詞
  • surrender

    stronger implication of being forced or defeated; more emotional than relinquish

  • yield

    emphasises giving way under pressure or authority; slightly less formal than relinquish

  • cede

    used almost exclusively for territory or legal rights; highly formal

  • waive

    specific to voluntarily giving up a right or legal claim; not used for positions or land

反義詞
  • retain

    to keep something rather than give it up

  • hold onto

    to keep possession or control of something, resisting pressure to give it up

文法句型

relinquish + noun phrase (role, right, territory, control)

用法筆記

Subject is typically a person in a position of authority, an organisation, or a government. Frequently used in legal, political, and business contexts.

常見錯誤

❌The general relinquished the battle and ran away.
✅The general surrendered and retreated from the battle.
💡'relinquish' is about giving up a role, right, or possession; for military defeat, 'surrender' or 'abandon' is more natural.
❌I relinquished my keys on the table.
✅I put my keys down on the table.
💡'relinquish' in the physical sense means to let go of something you are holding, not to place something somewhere casually.

2. to stop holding something with your hands or arms, especially when you are reluc

2.動詞及物B2
釋義

to stop holding something with your hands or arms, especially when you are reluctant or have been holding on tightly

例句

Omar refused to relinquish the rope even though his fingers were numb from the cold.

relinquish + concrete object held in the hands

The toddler finally relinquished the child's grip on the toy truck when offered a cookie.

同義詞
  • release

    the most direct synonym; slightly less formal and more common in everyday use

  • let go of

    informal equivalent; use in speech instead of relinquish

  • loosen one's grip

    emphasises the gradual nature of the action rather than a complete release

反義詞
  • grip

    to hold something tightly, the opposite of letting go

  • clutch

    to hold something firmly and urgently, resisting release

文法句型

relinquish + noun phrase (something held in the hands or arms)

用法筆記

Often used with 'grip' or 'hold' as the object (relinquish one's grip/hold). Less common in everyday speech than 'let go of' — prefer the phrasal verb in informal situations.

常見錯誤

❌She relinquished the letter on the desk.
✅She put the letter down on the desk.
💡Use 'relinquish' only when someone is actively holding or gripping something and releases it, not for placing an object on a surface.