Relieve (Verb)
Meaning 1
Provide physical relief, as from pain; "This pill will relieve your headaches".
Classification
Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care.
Examples
- A cold compress can relieve the swelling on her ankle after the accident.
- The painkiller was meant to relieve her chronic lower back pain.
- Taking a warm bath helps relieve muscle tension after a long day of work.
- The new shoe insoles were designed to relieve pressure on the ball and heel of the foot.
- Heat therapy is often used to relieve menstrual cramp pain.
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Meaning 2
Grant exemption or release to; "Please excuse me from this class".
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- The judge will relieve the defendant of his duties if he agrees to the settlements.
- Please relieve me of this responsibility as I don't think I can handle it anymore.
- The new policy aims to relieve small businesses of some of their hefty tax burdens.
- After years of unpaid taxes, the government will relieve the family of their debt.
- The court decision will relieve the employee of his obligation to pay damages.
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Meaning 3
Free from a burden, evil, or distress.
Classification
Verbs of buying, selling, owning.
Examples
- The charity worked tirelessly to relieve the suffering of those affected by the war.
- Her doctor prescribed her medication to relieve the symptoms of her chronic illness.
- The news of her graduation relieved her family from their anxiety about her future.
- The plan aims to relieve the poverty-stricken community by creating jobs and opportunities.
- Counseling sessions helped her relieve the emotional trauma she experienced during childhood.
Hypernyms
Meaning 4
Take by stealing; "The thief relieved me of $100".
Classification
Verbs of buying, selling, owning.
Examples
- The thief relieved the tourist of her expensive camera and ran away quickly.
- The pickpocket relieved the businessman of his wallet in a crowded train station.
- The scams relieved many investors of their life savings in just a few days.
- A quick thief relieved the mother of her purse while she was distracted by her children.
- The mugger relieved the jogger of his phone and watch in the dark alley.
Meaning 5
Lessen the intensity of or calm; "The news eased my conscience"; "still the fears".
Classification
Verbs of feeling.
Examples
- A warm bath can relieve tension and soothe the muscles after a long day.
- Her presence helped relieve the sadness that had settled over the family.
- The medication is designed to relieve pain and reduce inflammation.
- Listening to calming music can relieve anxiety and promote relaxation.
- The doctor's reassuring words helped relieve the patient's fears.
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Meaning 6
Free someone temporarily from his or her obligations.
Classification
Verbs of political and social activities and events.
Examples
- Her decision to relieve her colleague of his duties for the week allowed him to care for his ill mother.
- He was relieved of his duties to focus on his family during the difficult time.
- The manager relieved her of her responsibilities so she could attend to the urgent family matter.
- She relieved him of his childcare duties for the day so he could focus on his job interview.
- Her sister relieved her of her baby-sitting duties for a few hours so she could run some errands.
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Meaning 7
Alleviate or remove (pressure or stress) or make less oppressive; "relieve the pressure and the stress"; "lighten the burden of caring for her elderly parents".
Classification
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc..
Examples
- Massages can help relieve the tension in your muscles after a long day at work.
- A good vacation can relieve the stress that you've been feeling for months.
- Taking regular breaks can relieve the mental fatigue associated with studying for long periods.
- Hiring a caregiver can relieve the burden of caring for a loved one with a chronic illness.
- Exercise is a great way to relieve the anxiety that often comes with making important life decisions.
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Meaning 8
Provide relief for; "remedy his illness".
Classification
Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care.
Examples
- The medication is designed to relieve the symptoms of arthritis and provide greater comfort to patients.
- Taking regular breaks will help relieve the stress and pressure of working long hours.
- This new treatment can relieve the pain associated with migraines and improve overall quality of life.
- The charity aims to relieve poverty in underdeveloped countries through education and job creation programs.
- Acupuncture can relieve nausea and other uncomfortable side effects of chemotherapy.
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Meaning 9
Grant relief or an exemption from a rule or requirement to; "She exempted me from the exam".
Classification
Verbs of political and social activities and events.
Examples
- The new policy will relieve small businesses from paying the annual tax for the next two years.
- Due to extenuating circumstances, I am relieved from attending meetings on Fridays.
- The court order was meant to relieve employees from this clause in their contracts.
- The company's board of directors decided to relieve non-essential staff from working on holidays.
- The city is relieving low-income families from the burden of increasing rent.
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Meaning 10
Relieve oneself of troubling information.
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- I couldn't relieve myself of the nagging thought that something was wrong with the situation.
- The news finally allowed her to relieve herself of the secret she had been keeping for years.
- Once the truth was out, he felt a weight lift, finally able to relieve himself of the burden he'd been carrying.
- She tried to relieve herself of the memories, but they lingered, still painful after all the years.
- It wasn't until she shared her fears with her best friend that she could relieve herself of the anxiety that had been gripping her mind.
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Meaning 11
Save from ruin, destruction, or harm.
Classification
Verbs of political and social activities and events.
Examples
- The emergency funding will relieve the struggling theater troupe from bankruptcy and closure.
- A well-executed fire evacuation plan helped relieve the occupants of the burning high-rise building from further harm.
- The charity organization worked tirelessly to relieve the famine-stricken community from starvation.
- Government assistance programs aim to relieve low-income families from poverty and financial hardship.
- Rescue teams were deployed to relieve the stranded hikers from the treacherous terrain and extreme weather conditions.