relieve

[ ri-leev ]

/ rɪˈliv /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR relieve ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), re·lieved, re·liev·ing.

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

to free from anxiety, fear, pain, etc.

to free from need, poverty, etc.

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

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

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.

to make less tedious, unpleasant, or monotonous; break or vary the sameness of: curtains to relieve the drabness of the room.

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

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

Machinery.

to free (a closed space, as a tank, boiler, etc.) of more than a desirable pressure or vacuum.
to reduce (the pressure or vacuum in such a space) to a desirable level.

Baseball. to replace (a pitcher).

verb (used without object), re·lieved, re·liev·ing.

Baseball. to act as a relief pitcher: He relieved in 52 games for the Pirates last season.

Idioms for relieve

to relieve oneself, to urinate or defecate.

Origin of relieve

1300–50; Middle English releven < Middle French relever to raise < Latin relevāre to reduce the load of, lighten, equivalent to re- re- + levāre to raise, derivative of levis light in weight

SYNONYMS FOR relieve

1 mitigate, assuage, allay, lighten, lessen, abate, diminish.

3 support, sustain.

4 aid, help, assist, succor.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR relieve ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR relieve

1 intensify.

SEE ANTONYMS FOR relieve ON THESAURUS.COM

synonym study for relieve

1. 2. 3. See comfort.

OTHER WORDS FROM relieve

re·liev·a·ble, adjective re·liev·ed·ly

[ri-lee-vid-lee] /rɪˈli vɪd li/, adverb non·re·liev·ing, adjective qua·si-re·lieved, adjective

un·re·liev·a·ble, adjective un·re·lieved, adjective un·re·liev·ed·ly, adverb un·re·liev·ing, adjective

Words nearby relieve

relief map, relief pitcher, relief valve, reliefer, relier, relieve, relieve oneself, relieve someone of, relieved, reliever, relieving arch

Example sentences from the Web for relieve

“Seth kept the team together, but his constant need to relieve himself kept the team down,” says the announcer.

James Franco and Seth Rogen Get ‘Naked and Afraid’… And It’s Hilarious |Marlow Stern |December 8, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Women have become more professional and independent, so a lot of them are looking at role revisal to relieve similar tensions.

Whip It: Secrets of a Dominatrix |Justin Jones |November 25, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Adam Kawalek went from Los Angeles to Gaza to try to relieve the suffering of the sick and wounded there.

A Gay Jewish Zionist American Doctor in Gaza and What He Saw |Itay Hod |September 22, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
However, medications and therapies have been developed to relieve symptoms significantly.

The Burden Robin Williams Carried: Diagnosed With Parkinson’s and Depression |Dr. Anand Veeravagu, MD, Tej Azad |August 15, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

The cramping muscle should be carefully stretched and massaged to relieve pain.

A Lesson From LeBron James’ Game One Nightmare |Dr. Anand Veeravagu, MD, Tej Azad |June 7, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The day dragged slowly to its close, and no rest came to the sufferer, nor sign of improvement to relieve our anxiety.

A Crystal Age |W. H. Hudson
There was a well-kept lawn in front of it, with here and there a trim flower-bed to relieve the monotony of the expanse of grass.

The Lost Valley |J. M. Walsh
Her fingers clutched at the neck of her dress, as if to tear it open, and so relieve the swelling of her throat.

Name and Fame |Adeline Sergeant
I told the sentry I had been ordered to relieve him, and he handed over his musket without a word.

In the Days of Washington |William Murray Graydon
In all serious cases of this kind little more can be done than to relieve the animal till the veterinarian comes.

Riding and Driving |Edward L. Anderson

British Dictionary definitions for relieve

relieve

/ (rɪˈliːv) /

verb (tr)

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

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

to take over the duties or watch of (someone)

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

to free (someone) from an obligation

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

to bring into relief or prominence, as by contrast

(foll by of) informal to take from the thief relieved him of his watch

relieve oneself to urinate or defecate

Derived forms of relieve

relievable, adjective

Word Origin for relieve

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

Medical definitions for relieve

relieve

[ rĭ-lēv′ ]

v.

To cause a lessening or alleviation of something, such as pain, tension, or a symptom.

To free an individual from pain, anxiety, or distress.

Other words from relieve

re•liev′a•ble adj.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

relieve

verb (used with object), re·lieved, re·liev·ing.

verb (used without object), re·lieved, re·liev·ing.

Idioms for relieve

Origin of relieve

SYNONYMS FOR relieve

ANTONYMS FOR relieve

synonym study for relieve

OTHER WORDS FROM relieve

Words nearby relieve

Example sentences from the Web for relieve

British Dictionary definitions for relieve

verb (tr)

Derived forms of relieve

Word Origin for relieve

Medical definitions for relieve

v.

Other words from relieve

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

relieve

verb (used with object), re·lieved, re·liev·ing.

verb (used without object), re·lieved, re·liev·ing.

Idioms for relieve

Origin of relieve

SYNONYMS FOR relieve

ANTONYMS FOR relieve

synonym study for relieve

OTHER WORDS FROM relieve

Words nearby relieve

Words related to relieve

Example sentences from the Web for relieve

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for relieve

verb (tr)

Derived forms of relieve

Word Origin for relieve

Medical definitions for relieve

v.

Other words from relieve

British Dictionary definitions for relieve