relieve

• POS: Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: re=lieve
• COUNT in NET: 2 in 2 verses (in OT : 2 in 2 verses)

CIDE DICTIONARY

relieve, v. t. [OE. releven, F. relever to raise again, discharge, relieve, fr. L. relevare to lift up, raise, make light, relieve; pref. re- re- + levare to raise, fr. levis light. See Levity, and cf. Relevant, Relief.].

•  To lift up; to raise again, as one who has fallen; to cause to rise.  Piers Plowman.  [1913 Webster]
•  To cause to seem to rise; to put in relief; to give prominence or conspicuousness to; to set off by contrast.  [1913 Webster]

  "Her tall figure relieved against the blue sky; seemed almost of supernatural height."  [1913 Webster]
•  To raise up something in; to introduce a contrast or variety into; to remove the monotony or sameness of.  [1913 Webster]

  "The poet must . . . sometimes relieve the subject with a moral reflection."  [1913 Webster]
•  To raise or remove, as anything which depresses, weighs down, or crushes; to render less burdensome or afflicting; to alleviate; to abate; to mitigate; to lessen; as, to relieve pain; to relieve the wants of the poor.  [1913 Webster]
•  To free, wholly or partly, from any burden, trial, evil, distress, or the like; to give ease, comfort, or consolation to; to give aid, help, or succor to; to support, strengthen, or deliver; as, to relieve a besieged town.  [1913 Webster]

  "Now lend assistance and relieve the poor."  [1913 Webster]
•  To release from a post, station, or duty; to put another in place of, or to take the place of, in the bearing of any burden, or discharge of any duty.  [1913 Webster]

  "Who hath relieved you?"  [1913 Webster]
•  To ease of any imposition, burden, wrong, or oppression, by judicial or legislative interposition, as by the removal of a grievance, by indemnification for losses, or the like; to right.  [1913 Webster]

Syn. -- To alleviate; assuage; succor; assist; aid; help; support; substain; ease; mitigate; lighten; diminish; remove; free; remedy; redress; indemnify.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

relieve, v.tr.
1 bring or provide aid or assistance to.
2 alleviate or reduce (pain, suffering, etc.).
3 mitigate the tedium or monotony of.
4 bring military support for (a besieged place).
5 release (a person) from a duty by acting as or providing a substitute.
6 (foll. by of) take (a burden or responsibility) away from (a person).
7 bring into relief; cause to appear solid or detached.

Idiom

relieve one's feelings use strong language or vigorous behaviour when annoyed. relieve oneself urinate or defecate.

Derivative

relievable adj. reliever n.

Etymology

ME f. OF relever f. L relevare (as RE-, levis light)

THESAURUS

relieve

abate, abet, abridge, absolve, act for, aid, allay, alleviate, alternate, anesthetize, appease, assist, assuage, assure, avail, bail out, be light, bear a hand, bear up, befriend, benefit, benumb, bereave, bleed, break up, change places with, cheer, comfort, condole with, console, cover, crowd out, curtail, cushion, cut off, cut out, deaden, deaden the pain, decrease, deliver, deprive, deprive of, differ, differentiate, diminish, disburden, discharge, disencumber, disentitle, dispense, displace, dissent, disunify, divaricate, diverge, diversify, divest, do a hitch, do a stint, do a tour, do good, do time, doctor, double for, drain, dull, ease, ease matters, ease one of, encourage, enlist, excuse, favor, fill in, fill in for, foment, free, ghost, ghostwrite, give a boost, give a hand, give a lift, give comfort, give help, give relief, have a go, have little weight, have tenure, hearten, help, hold office, keep a watch, kick the beam, knock off, knock over, lay, lend a hand, lend one aid, lessen, let, liberate, lift, lighten, lighten one of, loot, lull, make light, make lighter, milk, mine, mitigate, moderate, mollify, numb, off-load, pad, palliate, pinch-hit, plunder, poultice, pour balm into, pour oil on, proffer aid, protect, put at ease, qualify, quiet, raise, rally, ransack, re-up, reassure, reclaim, redeem, reduce, reduce weight, reenlist, release, remedy, render assistance, replace, represent, rescue, restore, resuscitate, revive, rid, rifle, rob, salve, save, serve time, set at ease, set up, sign up, slacken, slake, soften, solace, soothe, spare, spell, spell off, stand in for, stick up, stupe, sub, subdue, subrogate, substitute, substitute for, succeed, succor, supersede, supplant, supply, support, swap places with, sympathize with, take away from, take from, take in tow, take over, take turns, tap, temper, time off, unballast, unburden, understudy for, unlade, unload, variate, variegate, vary, weigh lightly

ROGET THESAURUS

relieve

Improvement

VB improve, be better, become better, get better, mend, amend, advance, ascend, increase, fructify, ripen, mature, pick up, come about, rally, take a favorable turn, turn over a new leaf, turn the corner, raise one's head, sow one's wild oats, recover, be better, be improved by, turn to right account, turn to good account, turn to best account, profit by, reap the benefit of, make good use of, make capital out of, place to good account, render better, improve, mend, amend, better, ameliorate, meliorate, correct, decrassify, improve upon, refine upon, rectify, enrich, mellow, elaborate, fatten, promote, cultivate, advance, forward, enhance, bring forward, bring on, foster, invigorate, touch up, rub up, brush up, furbish up, bolster up, vamp up, brighten up, warm up, polish, cook, make the most of, set off to advantage, prune, repair, put in order, review, revise, make corrections, make improvements, doctor, purify, relieve, refresh, infuse new blood into, recruit, reform, remodel, reorganize, new model, view in a new light, think better of, appeal from Philip drunk to Philip sober, palliate, mitigate, lessen an evil.

Remedy

VB apply a remedy, doctor, dose, physic, nurse, minister to, attend, dress the wounds, plaster, drain, prevent, relieve, palliate, restore, drench with physic, bleed, cup, let blood, manicure, operate, excise, cut out, incise.

Facility

VB be easy, go on smoothly, run smoothly, have full play, go on all fours, run on all fours, obey the helm, work well, flow with the stream, swim with the stream, drift with the stream, go with the stream, flow with the tide, drift with the tide, see one's way, have all one's own way, have the game in one's own hands, walk over the course, win at a canter, make light of, make nothing of, make no bones of, be at home in, make it look easy, do it with one's eyes closed, do it in one's sleep, render easy, facilitate, smooth, ease, popularize, lighten, lighten the labor, free, clear, disencumber, disembarrass, disentangle, disengage, deobstruct, unclog, extricate, unravel, untie the knot, cut the knot, disburden, unload, exonerate, emancipate, free from, deoppilate, humor, lubricate, relieve, leave a hole to creep out of, leave a loophole, leave the matter open, give the reins to, give full play, give full swing, make way for, open the door to, open the way, prepare the ground, smooth the ground, clear the ground, open the way, open the path, open the road, pave the way, bridge over, permit.

Aid

VB aid, assist, help, succor, lend one's aid, come to the aid, of, contribute, subscribe to, bring aid, give aid, furnish aid, afford aid, supply aid, give a helping hand, stretch a hand, lend a helping hand, lend a hand, bear a helping hand, hold out a hand, hold out a helping hand, give one a life, give one a cast, give one a turn, take by the hand, take in tow, help a lame dog over a stile, lend wings to, relieve, rescue, set up, set agoing, set on one's legs, bear through, pull through, give new life to, be the making of, reinforce, reenforce, recruit, set forward, put forward, push forward, give a lift, give a shove, give an impulse to, promote, further, forward, advance expedite, speed, quicken, hasten, support, sustain, uphold, prop, hold up, bolster, cradle, nourish, nurture, nurse, dry nurse, suckle, put out to nurse, manure, cultivate, force, foster, cherish, foment, feed the flame, fan the flame, serve, do service to, tender to, pander to, administer to, subminister to, minister to, tend, attend, wait on, take care of, entertain, smooth the bed of death, oblige, accommodate, consult the wishes of, humor, cheer, encourage, second, stand by, back, back up, pay the piper, abet, work for, make interest for, stick up for, take up the cudgels for, take up the cause of, espouse the cause of, adopt the cause of, advocate, beat up for recruits, press into the service, squire, give moral support to, keep in countenance, countenance, patronize, lend oneself to, lend one's countenance to, smile upon, shine upon, favor, befriend, take in hand, enlist under the banners of, side with, be of use to, subserve, benefit, render a service, conduce.

Relief

VB relieve, ease, alleviate, mitigate, palliate, soothe, salve, soften, soften down, foment, stupe, poultice, assuage, allay, cheer, comfort, console, enliven, encourage, bear up, pat on the back, give comfort, set at ease, gladden the heart, cheer the heart, inspirit, invigorate, remedy, cure, refresh, pour balm into, pour oil on, smooth the ruffled brow of care, temper the wind to the shorn lamb, lay the flattering unction to one's soul, disburden, take a load off one's chest, get a load off one's chest, take off a load of care, be relieved, breathe more freely, draw a long breath, take comfort, dry the tears, dry the eyes, wipe the tears, wipe the eyes.

Sculpture

N sculpture, insculpture, carving, statuary, high relief, low relief, bas relief, relief, relieve, bassorilievo, altorilievo, mezzorilievo, intaglio, anaglyph, medal, medallion, cameo, marble, bronze, terra cotta, papier-mache, ceramic ware, pottery, porcelain, china, earthenware, cloisonne, enamel, faience, Laocoon, satsuma, statue, cast, glyptotheca, sculptured, v, in relief, anaglyptic, ceroplastic, ceramic, parian, marble, xanthian.