Re-liēve′, v. t.
(re-leev′), v. t. [imp. & p. p. RELIEVED; p. pr. & vb. n. RELIEVING.] [Fr. relever, to raise again, to discharge, relieve; Pr., Sp., & Pg. relevar, It. rilevare, Lat. relevare, to lift up, to raise, to make light, to relieve, from re, again, and levare, to raise, from levis, light.] 1. To lift up; to raise again; to cause to rise; hence, 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. W. Scott. Parallels, or like relations, alternately relieve each other; when neither will pass asunder, yet they are plausible together. Browne.
- To raise or remove, as any thing which depresses, weighs down, or crushes; to render less burdensome or afflicting; to alleviate; to abate; to mitigate; to lessen; as, to relieve pain or distress; to relieve the wants of the poor.
- To free from any burden, trial, evil, distress, or the like; to give ease, comfort, or consolation to; to help.
Now lend assistance and relieve the poor. Dryden. 4. Hence, to release from a post or station by substitution of others; 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? Bernardo has my place. Shak. 5. To ease of any burden, wrong, or oppression by judicial or legislative interposition, by the removal of a grievance, by indemnification for losses, and the like; to right. Syn. — To alleviate; assuage; succor; assist; aid; help; support; sustain; ease; mitigate; lighten; diminish; remove; free; remedy; redress; indemnify.