More language change on the fly

[Laurence Horn]

At 7:55 PM -0400 8/26/07, Douglas G. Wilson wrote:
>>>From espn.com's wrap of today's Boston Red Sox game:
>>
>>Manny Ramirez didn't start for the Red Sox. Manager Terry Francona
>>said it was just a day off but relented that Ramirez had been
>>bothered by a sore back.
>>
>>I don't see this use of "relent" (= 'concede'?) in the OED and AHD entries...
>
>Aiming for "recanted", maybe? And/or "retracted"?
>
>-- Doug Wilson
>
Even if so, those verbs don't normally take _that_-complements for me
either.  As it turns out, there are "about 2,260" google hits for
"relented that", with the report of Francona appearing in the #3
slot.  Many, indeed probably most, of the 2260 are irrelevant, but at
a quick glance a bunch are of the "right" type.  Examples:

And then when it [pregnancy test] got darker and clearer, I relented
that it was positive with an out-loud exclamation of "Holy Crap."

As the young man's yearnings increased, the affection of his pets and
other animals in his garden became insufficient to satisfy his
spirit, so God relented that His man should no longer be alone. [from
a retelling of Genesis]

and my favorite, from a restaurant review of Cafe Soriah in Eugene, Oregon:

Truly one of Eugene's finest restaurants. I once got into an argument
over which was the finer restaurant, Cafe Soriah or Chef's Kitchen.
After some bickering he relented that Soriah's strength was their
tenderloin and I relented that Chef's Kitchen's strength was their
sauces.

[This is the beginning of the review; "he", the not otherwise
identified fellow relenter, is evidently the reviewer's arguee.]   I
think "conceded" is as close as we can get here, or perhaps
"reluctantly granted/agreed".

LH

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