relieve
pronunciation
How to pronounce relieve in British English:
UK [rɪˈliːv]
How to pronounce relieve in American English:
US [rɪˈliːv]
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- Verb:
- provide physical relief, as from pain
- free someone temporarily from his or her obligations
- grant relief or an exemption from a rule or requirement to
- lessen the intensity of or calm
- save from ruin, destruction, or harm
- relieve oneself of troubling information
- alleviate or remove
- provide relief for
- free from a burden, evil, or distress
- take by stealing
- grant exemption or release to
Word Origin
- relieve
- relieve: [14] Relieve goes back via Old French relever to Latin relevāre ‘raise again’, a compound verb formed from the prefix re- ‘again’ and levāre ‘raise’ (source of English elevate, levy, etc). Its metaphorical extension to ‘lighten, alleviate’ began in Latin. The derived noun relief reached English in two phases. First, in the standard sense ‘easing, alleviation’, via Anglo-Norman relef in the 14th century; and then, in the 17th century, via French from Italian relievo in the sense ‘raised area in a design’ – a return to the etymological meaning ‘raise’.=> elevate, levy, relevant
- relieve (v.)
- late 14c., "alleviate (pain, etc.), mitigate; afford comfort; allow respite; diminish the pressure of," also "give alms to, provide for;" also figuratively, "take heart, cheer up;" from Old French relever "to raise, relieve" (11c.) and directly from Latin relevare "to raise, alleviate, lift up, free from a burden," from re-, intensive prefix (see re-), + levare "to lift up, lighten," from levis "not heavy" (see lever). The notion is "to raise (someone) out of trouble." From c. 1400 as "advance to the rescue in battle;" also "return from battle; recall (troops)." Meaning "release from duty" is from early 15c. Related: relieved; relieving.
Synonym
Example
- 1. Stretching can even promote better posture and relieve stress .
- 2. Acupuncture can relieve adverse reactions to radiotherapy and / or chemotherapy .
- 3. There aren 't others who can relieve you ?
- 4. The government acted quickly to relieve the widespread distress caused by the earthquake .
- 5. This reinforces what others have found - that music helps relieve physical and emotional distress .