respite vs shelve

respite is a noun but shelve is not a noun.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
respite	Yes	No	Yes	No
shelve	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, shelve is a hypernym of respite; that is, shelve is a word with a broader meaning than respite:

respite: postpone the punishment of a convicted criminal, such as an execution
shelve: hold back to a later time

Other hypernyms of respite include defer, hold over, postpone, prorogue, put off, put over, remit, set back, table.

respite (noun)	shelve (noun)
a pause from doing something (as work)
the act of reprieving; postponing or remitting punishment
an interruption in the intensity or amount of something
a (temporary) relief from harm or discomfort
a pause for relaxation

respite (verb)	shelve (verb)
postpone the punishment of a convicted criminal, such as an execution	place on a shelf
	hold back to a later time