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.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. Relief from care, pain, or any burden.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. Discharge from obligation or responsibility, as from debt,
      penalty, or claim of any kind; acquittance.
      [1913 Webster]

   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.
      [1913 Webster]

   5. (Steam Engine) The act of opening the exhaust port to
      allow the steam to escape.
      [1913 Webster]

   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.
      [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

   7. (Phon.) The act or manner of ending a sound.
      [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

   8. (Railroads) In the block-signaling system, a printed card
      conveying information and instructions to be used at
      intermediate sidings without telegraphic stations.
      [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

   Lease and release. (Law) See under Lease.

   Out of release, without cessation. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
      [1913 Webster]

   Syn: Liberation; freedom; discharge. See Death.
        [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Release \Re*lease"\ (r?-l?s"), v. t. [Pref. re + lease to let.]
   To lease again; to grant a new lease of; to let back.
   [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Release \Re*lease"\ (r?-l?s"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Released
   (r?*l?st"); p. pr. & vb. n. Releasing.] [OE. relessen, OF.
   relassier, to release, to let free. See Relay, n., Relax,
   and cf. Release to lease again.]
   1. To let loose again; to set free from restraint,
      confinement, or servitude; to give liberty to, or to set
      at liberty; to let go.
      [1913 Webster]

            Now at that feast he released unto them one
            prisoner, whomsoever they desired.    --Mark xv. 6.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To relieve from something that confines, burdens, or
      oppresses, as from pain, trouble, obligation, penalty.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. (Law) To let go, as a legal claim; to discharge or
      relinquish a right to, as lands or tenements, by conveying
      to another who has some right or estate in possession, as
      when the person in remainder releases his right to the
      tenant in possession; to quit.
      [1913 Webster]

   4. To loosen; to relax; to remove the obligation of; as, to
      release an ordinance. [Obs.] --Hooker.
      [1913 Webster]

            A sacred vow that none should aye release.
                                                  --Spenser.
      [1913 Webster]

   Syn: To free; liberate; loose; discharge; disengage;
        extricate; let go; quit; acquit.
        [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

release
    n 1: merchandise issued for sale or public showing (especially a
         record or film); "a new release from the London Symphony
         Orchestra"
    2: the act of liberating someone or something [syn:
       liberation, release, freeing]
    3: a process that liberates or discharges something; "there was
       a sudden release of oxygen"; "the release of iodine from the
       thyroid gland"
    4: an announcement distributed to members of the press in order
       to supplement or replace an oral presentation [syn:
       handout, press release, release]
    5: the termination of someone's employment (leaving them free to
       depart) [syn: dismissal, dismission, discharge,
       firing, liberation, release, sack, sacking]
    6: euphemistic expressions for death; "thousands mourned his
       passing" [syn: passing, loss, departure, exit,
       expiration, going, release]
    7: a legal document evidencing the discharge of a debt or
       obligation [syn: acquittance, release]
    8: a device that when pressed will release part of a mechanism
       [syn: release, button]
    9: activity that frees or expresses creative energy or emotion;
       "she had no other outlet for her feelings"; "he gave vent to
       his anger" [syn: release, outlet, vent]
    10: the act of allowing a fluid to escape [syn: spill,
        spillage, release]
    11: a formal written statement of relinquishment [syn:
        release, waiver, discharge]
    12: (music) the act or manner of terminating a musical phrase or
        tone [syn: release, tone ending]
    v 1: release, as from one's grip; "Let go of the door handle,
         please!"; "relinquish your grip on the rope--you won't
         fall" [syn: let go of, let go, release, relinquish]
         [ant: hold, take hold]
    2: grant freedom to; free from confinement [syn: free,
       liberate, release, unloose, unloosen, loose] [ant:
       confine, detain]
    3: let (something) fall or spill from a container; "turn the
       flour onto a plate" [syn: turn, release]
    4: prepare and issue for public distribution or sale; "publish a
       magazine or newspaper" [syn: publish, bring out, put
       out, issue, release]
    5: eliminate (a substance); "combustion products are exhausted
       in the engine"; "the plant releases a gas" [syn: exhaust,
       discharge, expel, eject, release]
    6: generate and separate from cells or bodily fluids; "secrete
       digestive juices"; "release a hormone into the blood stream"
       [syn: secrete, release]
    7: make (information) available for publication; "release the
       list with the names of the prisoners" [syn: free,
       release]
    8: part with a possession or right; "I am relinquishing my
       bedroom to the long-term house guest"; "resign a claim to the
       throne" [syn: release, relinquish, resign, free,
       give up]
    9: release (gas or energy) as a result of a chemical reaction or
       physical decomposition [syn: release, free, liberate]
    10: make (assets) available; "release the holdings in the
        dictator's bank account" [syn: unblock, unfreeze,
        free, release] [ant: block, freeze, immobilise,
        immobilize]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

466 Moby Thesaurus words for "release":
   OK, abandonment, abjuration, absolution, absolve, accord, account,
   acknowledgment, acquaintance, acquit, acquittal, acquittance,
   admission, admit, advice, allow, allowance, amnesty, annihilation,
   announcement, bane, biological death, blue book, boot, bounce,
   break, break loose, break out, break up, breakout, breakup,
   briefing, bulletin, bump, bust, can, canceled check, cashier,
   cast loose, cast off, catharsis, cessation of life, cession,
   charter, circulate, cleanse, cleanse away, cleansing, clear,
   clearance, clearing, clinical death, come out with, communication,
   communique, compurgation, consent, crossing the bar, curtains,
   cut loose, data, datum, deactivate, deactivation, death,
   death knell, debrief, debt of nature, decease, decontaminate,
   defrock, degrade, deliver, deliverance, delivery, demise, demob,
   demobilization, demobilize, demote, departure, deplume, depose,
   deprive, destigmatization, destigmatize, destigmatizing, detach,
   detachment, diaspora, diplomatic immunity, directory, disband,
   disbandment, disbar, discharge, disculpation, disembarrass,
   disembroil, disemploy, disengage, disentangle, disintegrate,
   disintegration, disinvolve, dislodge, dismiss, dismissal,
   disorganization, disorganize, dispatch, dispensation, dispense,
   dispense from, dispense with, dispersal, disperse, dispersion,
   displace, displume, disposal, disposition, disseminate,
   dissolution, dissolve, distribute, doff, doom, drum out, dumping,
   dying, ebb of life, emancipate, emancipation, embassy, emergence,
   emotional release, end, end of life, ending, enlightenment, escape,
   escapism, eternal rest, evasion, evidence, except, exception,
   exculpate, exculpation, excuse, exempt, exempt from, exemption,
   exit, exonerate, exoneration, expel, expiration, express,
   extinction, extinguishment, extract, extricate, extrication, facts,
   factual information, familiarization, final summons,
   finger of death, fire, flight, forgive, forgiveness, forgoing,
   forswearing, franchise, free, free from, freedom, freeing,
   furlough, gen, general information, get out, getaway,
   getting rid of, give absolution, give dispensation from,
   give leave, give off, give out, give permission, give release,
   give respite, give the ax, give the gate, give the go-ahead,
   give the word, giving up, go bail for, go separate ways, going,
   going off, grant, grant amnesty to, grant bail to, grant immunity,
   grant remission, grave, guidebook, hand of death, hand out,
   handout, hard information, immunity, incidental information, info,
   information, instruction, intelligence, intermission, intermit,
   issuance, issue, jailbreak, jaws of death, justify, kick,
   kick upstairs, knell, knowledge, last debt, last muster, last rest,
   last roundup, last sleep, launch, lay off, leak, leakage, leave,
   leave go, leaving life, legislative immunity, let, let go,
   let go free, let loose, let loose of, let off, let out, letter,
   letting go, liberate, liberation, liberty, license, lifesaving,
   light, loose, loosen, loosing, loss of life, make available,
   make possible, make redundant, making an end, manumission, manumit,
   mention, message, muster out, nonpros, notice, notification, okay,
   outlet, pardon, parole, part, part company, parting, pass out,
   passing, passing away, passing over, patent, pension off,
   perishing, permission, permission to enter, permit, pneumatogram,
   present, presentation, press release, prisonbreak, privilege,
   promotional material, proof, publication, publicity, publish,
   purgation, purge, purge away, purging, put on parole, put out,
   quash the charge, quietus, quittance, ransom, read out of,
   recantation, receipt, receipt in full, recover, recovery, redeem,
   redemption, releasing, relinquish, relinquishment, remise,
   remission, remit, removal, remove, renunciation, replace, report,
   reprieve, rescue, rescuing, resign, resignation, respite, rest,
   retire, retraction, retrieval, retrieve, reward, riddance, sack,
   sacrifice, salvage, salvation, save, save the necessity, saving,
   say the word, scatter, sentence of death, separate,
   separate forcibly, separation, set at large, set free,
   setting-free, shades of death, shadow of death, shrive, sidelight,
   sleep, somatic death, spare, special permission, split up,
   split-up, statement, story, strip, summons of death, superannuate,
   surcease, surplus, surrender, suspend, suspension, swearing off,
   take off, tear loose, telegram, the dope, the goods, the know,
   the scoop, ticket, ticket of admission, transmission, turn off,
   turn out, unbar, unbind, unbinding, unbolt, unbolting, unbridling,
   unbuckle, unbuckling, unbutton, uncaging, unchain, unchaining,
   unclasp, unclutch, undo, unfasten, unfetter, unfettering, unfrock,
   ungagging, unglue, unhand, unhanding, unharnessing, unhobbling,
   unknot, unlace, unlashing, unlatch, unlatching, unleash,
   unleashing, unlock, unlocking, unloose, unloosen, unloosing,
   unmanacling, unmuzzling, unpenning, unravel, unshackle,
   unshackling, unsnarl, unstick, unstrap, unstrapping, untangle,
   untethering, untie, untrussing, untying, unveil, unyoking, vent,
   verdict of acquittal, vindicate, vindication, voucher, vouchsafe,
   vouchsafement, waiver, warrant, weigh anchor, white book,
   white paper, whitewash, withdraw the charge, word, yield,
   yielding



The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (30 December 2018):

release
baseline
released version

    (Or "released version", "baseline") A version of
   a piece of software which has been made public (as opposed to
   a version that is in development, or otherwise unreleased).

   A release is either a major release, a revision, or a
   bugfix.

   Pre-release versions may be called alpha test, or beta
   test versions.

   See change management.

   (1996-08-04)


Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856):

RELEASE, estates. The "conveyance of a man's interest or right, which he
hath unto a thing, to another that hath the possession thereof, or some
estate therein." Touch. 320.
     2. The words generally used in such conveyance, are, "remised,
released, and forever quit claimed." Litt. sec, 445.
     3. Releases of land are, in respect of their operation, divided into
four sorts. 1. Releases that enure by way of passing the estate, or mitter
l'estate. (q.v.) 2. Releases that enure by way of passing the right, or
mitter le droit. 3. Releases that enure by enlargement of the estate; and
     4. Releases that enure by way of extinguishment. Vide 4 Cruise, 71; Co.
Lit. 264; 3 Marsh. Decis. 185; Gilb. Ten. 82; 2 Sumn. R. 487; 10 Pick. R.
195; 10 John. R. 456; 7 Mass. R. 381; 8 Pick. R. 143; 5 Har. & John. 158; N.
H. Rep. 402; Paige's R. 299.



Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856):

RELEASE. Releases are of two kinds. 1. Such as give up, discharge, or
abandon a right of action. 2. Such as convey a man's interest or right to
another, who has possession of it, or some estate in the same. Touch. 320;
Litt. sec. 444; Nels. Ab. h.t.; Bac. Ab. h.t.; Vin. Ab. h.t.; Rolle's Ab.
h.t.; Com. Dig. h.t.



Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856):

RELEASE, contracts. A release is the giving or discharging of a right of
action which a man has or may claim against another, or that which is his.
Touch. 320 Bac. Ab. h.t.; Co. Litt. 264 a.
     2. This kind of a release is different from that which is used for the
purpose of convoying real estate. Here a mere right is surrendered; in the
other case not only a right is given up, but an interest in the estate is
conveyed, and becomes vested in the release.
     3. Releases may be considered, as to their form, their different kinds,
and their effect. Sec. 1. The operative words of a release are remise,
release, quitclaim, discharge and acquit; but other words will answer the
purpose. Sid. 265; Cro. Jac. 696; 9 Co. 52; Show. 331.
     4.-Sec. 2. Releases are either express, or releases in deed; or those
arising by operation of law. An express release is one which is distinctly
made in the deed; a release by operation of law, is one which, though not
expressly made, the law presumes in consequence of some act of, the
releasor; for instance, when, one of several joint obligors is expressly
released, the others are also released by operation of law. 3 Salk. 298.
Hob. 10; Id. 66; Noy, 62; 4 Mod. 380; 7 Johns. Rep. 207.
     5. A release may also be implied; as, if a creditor voluntarily deliver
to his debtor the bond, note, or other evidence of his claim. And when the
debtor is in possession of such security, it will be presumed that it has
been delivered to him. Poth. Obl. n. 608, 609.
     6.-Sec. 3. As to their effect, releases 1st, acquit the releasee: and
2dly, enable him to be examined as a witness.
     7.-1st. Littleton says a release of all demands is the best and
strongest release. Sect. 508. Lord Coke, on the contrary, says claims is a
stronger word. Co. Litt. 291 b.
     8. In general the words of a release will he restrained by the
particular occasion of giving it. 3 Lev. 273; 1 Show. 151: 2 Mod. 108, n.; 2
Show. 47; T. Raym. 399 3 Mod. 277; Palm. 218; 1 Lev. 235.
     9. The reader is referred to the following cases where a construction
has been given to the expressions mentioned. A release of "all actions,
suits and demands," 3 Mod. 277: "all actions, debts, duties, and demands,"
Ibid. 1 and 64; 3 Mod. 185; 8 Co. 150 b; 2 Saund. 6 a; all demands," 5 Co.
70, b; 2 Mod. 281; 3 Mod 278; 1 Lev. 99; Salk. 578; 2 Rolle's Rep. 12 Mod.
465; 2 Conn. Rep. 120; "all actions, quarrels, trespasses" Dy. 2171 pl. 2;
Cro. Jac. 487; "all errors, and all actions, suits, and writs of error
whatsoever," T. Ray. 3 99 all suits," 8 Co. 150 of covenants," 5 Co. 70 b.
    10.-2d. A release by a witness where he has an interest in the matter
which is the subject of the suit or release by the party on whose side he is
interested, renders him competent. 1 Phil. Ev. 102, and the cases cited in
n. a. Vide 2 Chitt. It. 329; 1 D. & R. 361; Harr. Dig. h.t.; Bouv. Inst.
Index, h.t.