verb, -leased, -leas⋅ing, noun | 1. | to free from confinement, bondage, obligation, pain, etc.; let go: to release a prisoner; to release someone from a debt. |
| 2. | to free from anything that restrains, fastens, etc.: to release a catapult. |
| 3. | to allow to be known, issued, done, or exhibited: to release an article for publication. |
| 4. | Law. to give up, relinquish, or surrender (a right, claim, etc.). |
| 5. | a freeing or releasing from confinement, obligation, pain, emotional strain, etc. |
| 6. | liberation from anything that restrains or fastens. |
| 7. | some device or agency for effecting such liberation. |
| 8. | a grant of permission, as to publish, use, or sell something. |
| 9. | the releasing of something for publication, performance, use, exhibition, or sale. |
| 10. | the film, book, record, etc., that is released. |
| 11. | press release. |
| 12. | Law.
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| 13. | Law Obsolete. a remission, as of a debt, tax, or tribute. |
| 14. | Machinery.
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| 15. | (in jazz or popular music) a bridge. |

| a statement prepared and distributed to the press by a public relations firm, governmental agency, etc. |
release programming
(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)