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.

2. To cause to seem to rise; to put in relief; to give prominence or conspicuousness to; to set off by contrast.

Her tall figure relieved against the blue sky; seemed almost of supernatural height.

3. To raise up something in; to introduce a contrast or variety into; to remove the monotony or sameness of.

The poet must . . . sometimes relieve the subject with a moral reflection.

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.

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.

Now lend assistance and relieve the poor.

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.

Who hath relieved you?

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.

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