from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Relieve \Re*lieve"\ (r?-l?v"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Relieved}
(-l?vd"); p. pr. & vb. n. {Relieving}.] [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}.]
1. To lift up; to raise again, as one who has fallen; to
cause to rise. [Obs.] --Piers Plowman.
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2. To cause to seem to rise; to put in relief; to give
prominence or conspicuousness to; to set off by contrast.
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Her tall figure relieved against the blue sky;
seemed almost of supernatural height. --Sir W.
Scott.
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3. To raise up something in; to introduce a contrast or
variety into; to remove the monotony or sameness of.
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The poet must . . . sometimes relieve the subject
with a moral reflection. --Addison.
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4. 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.
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5. 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.
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Now lend assistance and relieve the poor. --Dryden.
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6. 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.
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Who hath relieved you? --Shak.
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7. 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.
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Syn: To alleviate; assuage; succor; assist; aid; help;
support; substain; ease; mitigate; lighten; diminish;
remove; free; remedy; redress; indemnify.
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