relinquish

Relinquish is a verb meaning to voluntarily give up something one possesses or claims, such as a right, property, custody, or control. It can also mean to cease resisting or holding onto an undesirable state or impulse, as in relinquishing fear or anger.

Etymology: The word comes from Old French relinquier, from Latin relinquere “to leave behind” (re- meaning “back” or “again” + linquere “to leave”). It entered English in the late Middle Ages. The noun forms are relinquishment or, less commonly, relinquiture; in practice, renunciation is often used for the formal abandonment of rights or beliefs.

Usage: Relinquish is common in legal and administrative contexts, where a party surrenders rights, property, or custody: “The tenant relinquished the lease,” “the shareholder relinquished his claim.” It is also used in everyday language: “She relinquished control of the project” or “He relinquished his position.”

Relation to other terms: Relinquish emphasizes voluntary surrender of something one holds or claims; renounce implies a formal rejection of a belief or status; cede and abdicate connote transfer of authority or ownership. Relinquishment is the noun form that denotes the act.