relieve

 
Pronunciation: /rɪˈliːv/

verb

[with object]
  • 1cause (pain, distress, or difficulty) to become less severe or serious: the drug was used to promote sleep and to relieve pain
  • cause (someone) to stop feeling distressed or anxious: he was relieved by her change of tone
  • 2release (someone) from duty by taking their place: another signalman relieved him at 5.30
  • bring military support for (a besieged place): he dispatched an expedition to relieve the city
  • 3 (relieve someone of) take (a burden) from someone: he relieved her of her baggage
  • free someone from (a tiresome responsibility): she relieved me of the household chores
  • used ironically to indicate that someone has been deprived of something: he was relieved of his world title
  • 4make less tedious or monotonous by the introduction of variety: the bird’s body is black, relieved only by white under the tail
  • 5 (relieve oneself) used as a formal or euphemistic expression for urination or defecation: train your dog to relieve itself where you want it to
  • 6 archaic make (something) stand out: the twilight relieving in purple masses the foliage of the island

Derivatives

relievable

adjective

reliever

noun

Origin:

Middle English: from Old French relever, from Latin relevare, from re- (expressing intensive force) + levare 'raise' (from levis 'light')

Spelling rule

i before e except after c (as in thief).