relieve Hear it!

relieve Definition

re·lieve (ri lēv′)

transitive verb -·lieved′, -·liev′·ing

    1. to ease, lighten, or reduce (pain, anxiety, etc.)
    2. to free (a person) from pain, discomfort, anxiety, etc.
    3. to restore (a part of the body, the mind, etc.) to well-being
    1. to lighten the pressure, stress, weight, etc. on (something)
    2. to lighten (pressure, stress, etc.)
    1. to give aid or assistance to to relieve the poor
    2. to bring or send help to to relieve a besieged city
    1. to set free from a burden, obligation, grievance, etc.
    2. to remove (a burden, etc.)
    1. to set free from duty or work by replacing with oneself or another to relieve a nurse
    2. ☆ Baseball to serve as a relief pitcher for (another pitcher)
  6. to make less tedious, monotonous, etc. by being or providing a pleasing change
  7. to set off by contrast; make distinct or prominent

Etymology: ME releven < OFr relever < L relevare, to lift up again < re-, again + levare, to raise: see lever

intransitive verb

Baseball to serve as a relief pitcher

relieve Related Forms

re·liev′·able adjective re·liev′er noun

relieve Idioms

relieve oneself

to urinate or defecate

relieve Synonyms

relieve

v.

  1. To replace

    release, remove, take over for, cover for, spell*, discharge*, force to resign; see also dismiss 1, 2, substitute 2.

  2. To lessen

    assuage, alleviate, soothe, comfort, allay, lighten, mitigate, ease, divert, free, soften, diminish, reduce, console, cure, aid, assist; see also decrease 2, help 1.

relieve implies the reduction of misery, discomfort, or tediousness sufficiently to make it bearable they played a game to relieve the monotony of the trip; alleviate implies temporary relief, suggesting that the source of the misery remains unaffected drugs to alleviate the pain; lighten implies a cheering reduction of the weight of oppression or depression nothing can lighten the burden of our grief; assuage suggests a softening or pacifying influence in lessening pain or distress, calming anger or passion, etc. her kind words assuaged his resentment; mitigate implies a moderating or making milder of that which is likely to cause pain to mitigate a punishment; allay suggests an effective, although temporary or incomplete, calming or quieting we've allayed their suspicions

relieve Usage Examples

Object

  • symptom: Back to top What could I try to help relieve the symptoms of dry mouth?
  • pain: Don't forget your chemist can also advise on what to take to relieve the pain.
  • congestion: The idea is to relieve congestion around the school gates.
  • suffering: The charity funds a range of causes to relieve suffering.
  • boredom: Against such women Hedda seems motivated purely by a desire to have power over others - simply to relieve boredom.
  • tension: To find out more, I'm off to get my pension, Talking in the queue will help relieve the tension.

Subject

painkiller: They can be relieved by mild painkillers, or a positive change in lifestyle.

Modifying Another Word

  • mightily: Graham managed to edge it by eight-hundredths of a second at the line and was mightily relieved: " That was very hard work.
  • temporarily: When there has been no period of avoidance, each intake of the food is more likely to temporarily relieve rather than worsen symptoms.
  • visibly: When our talk ends, the group is visibly relieved and readies for rehearsal.

Used with why or when

when: The woman would feel she was under attack and be relieved when her husband's mother finally left.

Infinitive complement

  • hear: I am relieved to hear that your men are on their way.
  • find: I was very relieved to find your website today.
  • know: You will be relieved to know that I have limited this to the first three letters rather than the complete alphabet.
  • see: I was relieved to see that nothing had changed.

Present participle complement

  • itch: When applied to the skin they soothe and relieve itching.
  • suffer: Comments along the lines of " being called to relieve suffering " etc turn up regularly, and should be avoided.

Preposition: of

  • burden: By having readily available support networks in place, the classroom teacher would be relieved of some unnecessary administrative burdens.
  • duty: Then you may by eligible to receive oil conditionally relieved of duty under the Tied Oil Scheme.

Preposition: by

painkiller: They can be relieved by mild painkillers, or a positive change in lifestyle.

Browse dictionary entries near relieve

  1. ‹ relief valve
  2. ‹ relief map
  3. ‹ relief
  4. ‹ reliction
  5. ‹ relict
  6. ‹ relic
  7. ‹ reliant
  8. ‹ reliance
  9. ‹ reliably
  10. ‹ reliable
  1. relieved ›
  2. relievo ›
  3. relig ›
  4. relight ›
  5. religio- ›
  6. religion ›
  7. religionism ›
  8. religiosity ›
  9. religious ›
  10. Religious Society of Friends ›