Reprieve

Verb

 * 1)  To cancel or postpone the punishment of someone, especially an execution.
 * 2)  To bring relief to someone.
 * 3)  To take back to prison (in lieu of execution).

Noun

 * 1) The cancellation or postponement of a punishment.
 * 2) A document authorizing such an action.
 * 3) Relief from pain etc., especially temporary.

Thesaurus
absolution, afterthought, amnesty, benevolence, bind, block, blockage, bureaucratic delay, catharsis, cleanse, cleanse away, cleansing, clemency, commiseration, compassion, condolence, delay, delayage, delayed reaction, deliver, deliverance, detention, discharge, double take, dragging, emotional release, exculpation, excuse, exemption, exoneration, favor, feeling, forbear, forbearance, forgive, forgiveness, free, free from, freeing, give quarter, give release, give respite, grace, grant a reprieve, halt, hang-up, have mercy upon, have pity, hindrance, holdup, humanity, immunity, indemnity, interim, intermission, intermit, jam, kindness, lag, lagging, leniency, let off, let up on, logjam, melt, mercy, mitigation, moratorium, obstruction, paperasserie, pardon, pathos, pause, pity, postponement, purgation, purge, purge away, purging, quarter, red tape, red-tapeism, red-tapery, redemption, relax, release, relent, relief, remission, remission of sin, removal, remove, rescue, respite, retardance, retardation, ruth, save, self-pity, shrift, slow-up, slowdown, slowness, spare, sparing, stay, stay of execution, stop, stoppage, surcease, suspend, suspension, sympathy, take pity on, thaw, tie-up, time lag, wait

Etymology
1571, in sense of “to take back to prison”, from repryen: (1494), probably from  repris:, form of reprendre:; cognate to reprise:. Sense generalized, but retains connotations of punishment and execution. Noun attested 1598.