from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Release \Re*lease"\, n.
1. The act of letting loose or freeing, or the state of being
let loose or freed; liberation or discharge from restraint
of any kind, as from confinement or bondage. "Who boast'st
release from hell." --Milton.
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2. Relief from care, pain, or any burden.
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3. Discharge from obligation or responsibility, as from debt,
penalty, or claim of any kind; acquittance.
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4. (Law) A giving up or relinquishment of some right or
claim; a conveyance of a man's right in lands or tenements
to another who has some estate in possession; a quitclaim.
--Blackstone.
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5. (Steam Engine) The act of opening the exhaust port to
allow the steam to escape.
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6. (Mach.) A device adapted to hold or release a device or
mechanism as required; specif.: (Elec.) A catch on a
motor-starting rheostat, which automatically releases the
rheostat arm and so stops the motor in case of a break in
the field circuit; also, the catch on an electromagnetic
circuit breaker for a motor, which acts in case of an
overload.
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7. (Phon.) The act or manner of ending a sound.
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8. (Railroads) In the block-signaling system, a printed card
conveying information and instructions to be used at
intermediate sidings without telegraphic stations.
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{Lease and release}. (Law) See under {Lease}.
{Out of release}, without cessation. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
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Syn: Liberation; freedom; discharge. See {Death}.
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