relieve

[ri-leev]

verb (used with object)

relieved, relieving 

1. to ease or alleviate (pain, distress, anxiety, need, etc.).

   Synonyms: diminish, abate, lessen, lighten, allay, assuage, mitigate
   Antonyms: intensify

2. to free from anxiety, fear, pain, etc.

3. to free from need, poverty, etc.

   Synonyms: sustain, support

4. to bring effective aid to (a besieged town, military position, etc.).

   Synonyms: succor, assist, help, aid

5. to ease (a person) of any burden, wrong, or oppression, as by legal means.

6. to reduce (a pressure, load, weight, etc., on a device or object under stress).

   to relieve the steam pressure; to relieve the stress on the supporting walls.

7. to make less tedious, unpleasant, or monotonous; break or vary the sameness of.

   curtains to relieve the drabness of the room.

8. to bring into relief or prominence; heighten the effect of.

9. to release (one on duty) by coming as or providing a substitute or replacement.

10. Machinery.

    1. to free (a closed space, as a tank, boiler, etc.) of more than a desirable pressure or vacuum.

    2. to reduce (the pressure or vacuum in such a space) to a desirable level.

11. Baseball.,  to replace (a pitcher).

verb (used without object)

relieved, relieving 

1. Baseball.,  to act as a relief pitcher.

   He relieved in 52 games for the Pirates last season.

relieve

/ rɪˈliːv /

verb

1. to bring alleviation of (pain, distress, etc) to (someone)

2. to bring aid or assistance to (someone in need, a disaster area, etc)

3. to take over the duties or watch of (someone)

4. to bring aid or a relieving force to (a besieged town, city, etc)

5. to free (someone) from an obligation

6. to make (something) less unpleasant, arduous, or monotonous

7. to bring into relief or prominence, as by contrast

8. informal,  (foll by of) to take from

   the thief relieved him of his watch

9. to urinate or defecate

Other Word Forms

• relievable adjective
• relievedly adverb
• nonrelieving adjective
• quasi-relieved adjective
• unrelievable adjective
• unrelieved adjective
• unrelievedly adverb
• unrelieving adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of relieve¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English releven from Middle French relever “to raise,” from Latin relevāre “to reduce the load of, lighten,” equivalent to re- “again, again and again”+ levāre “to raise,” derivative of levis “light in weight”; re-

Word History and Origins

Origin of relieve¹

C14: from Old French relever , from Latin relevāre to lift up, relieve, from _re- + levāre to lighten

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. to relieve oneself, to urinate or defecate.

Synonym Study

See comfort.

Example Sentences

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has relieved three deputies of duty while it investigates the circumstances of the bloody beating of a Valencia man outside a Santa Clarita bar last year.

From Los Angeles Times

Stremberg, who supports the tunnel, said most people in town feel relieved there is momentum for a long-term fix, though they are frustrated that construction is still years away.

From Los Angeles Times

And with a fear of suffering racist abuse, James was also relieved to see other England players miss penalties in the quarter-final tie against Sweden after her own spot-kick was saved.

From BBC

Ms Malone said she was relieved and gratified to know officers were challenging "archaic beliefs and questioning the integrity of those responsible for administering policy and procedure".

From BBC

His accuser, actor Charlotte Arnould, said she was relieved the case was going to court, seven years after she filed a complaint.

From BBC

Related Words

• allay 
• alleviate 
• assuage 
• calm 
• comfort 
• cure 
• diminish 
• ease 
• free 
• mitigate 
• relax 
• soothe 
• subdue