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.
Sir W.
Scott.
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.
Addison.
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.
Dryden.
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?
Shak.
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.