RELIEVING

Etymology

Verb

relieving

present participle of relieve

Adjective

relieving (comparative more relieving, superlative most relieving)

That brings relief. [from 16th c.]

Noun

relieving (plural relievings)

(archaic) A change in colour, texture, etc. that relieves monotony.

Anagrams

• inveigler

Source: Wiktionary


Re*liev"ing, a.

Definition: Serving or tending to relieve. Relieving arch (Arch.), a discharging arch. See under Discharge, v. t.

– Relieving tackle. (Naut.) (a) A temporary tackle attached to the tiller of a vessel during gales or an action, in case of accident to the tiller ropes. (b) A strong tackle from a wharf to a careened vessel, to prevent her from going over entirely, and to assist in righting her. Totten. Craig.

RELIEVE

Re*lieve" (r-lv"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Relieved (-lvd"); p. pr. & vb. n. Relieving.] Etym: [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 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 cruches; to render less burdensome or afflicting; to allevate; 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.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

15 January 2025

BEAR

(verb) have rightfully; of rights, titles, and offices; “She bears the title of Duchess”; “He held the governorship for almost a decade”


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Coffee Trivia

The word “coffee” entered the English language in 1582 via the Dutch “koffie,” borrowed from the Ottoman Turkish “kahve,” borrowed in turn from the Arabic “qahwah.” The Arabic word qahwah was traditionally held to refer to a type of wine.

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