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