relief
Pluralreliefs (some meanings)
Pluralreliefs (some meanings)
- 1The act of taking away or easing pain, stress, or trouble.
Like loosening a tight shoe so your foot stops hurting.
The new painkiller offers fast relief from her aching joints.
Cold water gave instant relief to the sunburn.
UsageSay relief from pain. Medicine can give relief.
Similarease, comfort, release, respite, solace
Note
- 2The good feeling you get when pain, stress, or worry is taken away.
Like the calm you feel after a loud noise finally stops.
A wave of relief washed over her when the test results came back clear.
He felt great relief after finishing the difficult exam.
UsagePeople say What a relief! and sigh with relief.
Note
- 3Help such as food, money, or shelter given to people in need.
Like a neighbor bringing food when your family has none.
Relief reached the flooded town within two days.
Volunteers handed out relief to families who lost their homes.
UsageOften relief work or disaster relief.
Similaraid, assistance, help, support
- 4Help, money, or protection that a court orders to fix a wrong.
Like a referee setting things right after someone breaks the rules.
The judge granted relief to the family who lost their home.
They went to court seeking relief after the builder broke the contract.
UsagePeople seek relief in court; a judge grants it or denies it.
Similarredress, remedy, compensation
Note
- 5A way of making sculptures with shapes standing out from a flat background, or a sculpture made this way.
Like a coin, where the face is raised above the flat metal.
A marble relief of dancing figures decorated the temple wall.
The museum displayed several bronze reliefs from the ancient palace.
UsageShapes are carved in relief. One artwork is a relief.
Note
- 6A person who takes over a job or shift so another person can rest.
Like the next runner waiting to take the baton in a race.
The night nurse stayed until her relief arrived.
The lifeguard waited for his relief before leaving the tower.
UsageOften his relief or her relief, or before a noun: a relief driver.
Similarsubstitute, stand-in, fill-in
Note
- 7The way a piece of land rises and falls, with hills and valleys.
Like running your hand over a bumpy surface and feeling the high and low spots.
The map uses shading to show the relief of the mountain range.
This area has low relief, with gentle slopes and few steep hills.
Similartopography
Oppositeflatness
Note
- 8A cut in the amount of tax someone must pay, allowed by special rules.
Like getting a discount that lowers the price you have to pay.
The government offered relief to homeowners struggling with high property taxes.
She claimed relief on the money she gave to charity.
UsageUsually tax relief.
Similardeduction, exemption, allowance, concession
- 9Being freed from a shift, watch, or duty, often because someone else takes over.
Like finally being told you can leave your seat after a long shift.
The exhausted guards waited for relief from their long night watch.
Relief from duty came at midnight, and the tired crew went to bed.
Similarrelease
- 10Military help sent to free a town or army that is surrounded by enemies.
Like rescuers reaching people trapped by a flood.
The trapped soldiers held out until relief arrived.
The army marched north to bring relief to the besieged town.
Similarrescue, reinforcements, backup
Note
Less common meanings
- 11The way something stands out clearly because it is so different from the things around it.
The white tower stood out in sharp relief against the gray sky.
The white house stood out in clear relief against the green hills.
UsageThings stand out in sharp relief or are thrown into relief.
Similarcontrast, prominence
Note
- 12
- 13The look of depth or raised shapes in a flat picture, made with shading, light, or color.
Light and shadow give relief to a flat painting, so things look round.
The folds of the dress seem to rise off the page in relief.
- 14Having to do with printing from a raised surface that is inked and pressed onto paper.
The artist pulled a relief print from the carved block.
They learned relief printing in art class.
- 15In golf, the right to move your ball to a better spot before a shot when the rules allow.
- 16A payment an heir had to make to a lord when taking over land after a relative died.
Showing meanings only.
Practice
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Origins
Latin relevare, meaning "to raise up or make light," gave the Old French verb relever, "to relieve." From that verb came Old French relief, "help," which English took over.
Italian rilievo, made from a verb meaning "to raise," which goes back to Latin relevō, also "to raise."