relief

[ ri-leef ]

/ rɪˈlif /

|||

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR relief ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

alleviation, ease, or deliverance through the removal of pain, distress, oppression, etc.

a means or thing that relieves pain, distress, anxiety, etc.

money, food, or other help given to those in poverty or need.

something affording a pleasing change, as from monotony.

release from a post of duty, as by the arrival of a substitute or replacement.

the person or persons acting as replacement.

the rescue of a besieged town, fort, etc., from an attacking force.

the freeing of a closed space, as a tank or boiler, from more than a desirable amount of pressure or vacuum.

Feudal Law. a fine or composition which the heir of a feudal tenant paid to the lord for the privilege of succeeding to the estate.

Literature.

a distinct or abrupt change in mood, scene, action, etc., resulting in a reduction of intensity, as in a play or novel.
comic relief.

Nearby words

Idioms

on relief, receiving financial assistance from a municipal, state, or federal government because of poverty or need.

Origin of relief

1300–50; Middle English relef < Old French relief, derivative of relever to raise; see relieve

SYNONYMS FOR relief

1 mitigation, assuagement, comfort.

3 succor, aid, redress, remedy.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR relief ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR relief

1 intensification.

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Related formsre·lief·less, adjective

Definition for relief (2 of 2)

relief

[ ri-leef ]

/ rɪˈlif /

noun

prominence, distinctness, or vividness due to contrast.

the projection of a figure or part from the ground or plane on which it is formed, as in sculpture or similar work.

a piece or work in such projection.

an apparent projection of parts in a painting, drawing, etc., giving the appearance of the third dimension.

Physical Geography. the differences in elevation and slope between the higher and lower parts of the land surface of a given area.

Also called relief printing. Printing. any printing process, as letterpress or flexography, in which the printing ink is transferred to paper or another printed surface from areas that are higher than the rest of the block.

Origin of relief

1600–10; < French relief and Italian rilievo; see relief¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for relief

Rob Marshall lets a sigh of relief erupt so loud it could be heard by giants in the sky.
Rob Marshall Defends ‘Into the Woods’|Kevin Fallon|December 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Congress created SIGAR to provide oversight of relief and reconstruction projects in Afghanistan.
Special Forces’ $77M ‘Hustler’ Hits Back|Kevin Maurer|December 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Still, we had the 13 dwarves to deal with, but at least in this movie we get to knock a couple off, which is a relief.
‘No Regrets’: Peter Jackson Says Goodbye to Middle-Earth|Alex Suskind|December 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He went on to explain that the break-up was finally, in some ways, a relief.
Ted Hughes’s Brother on Losing Sylvia Plath|Gerald Hughes|December 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST

But Lomax can heave a small sigh of relief, at least for now: Legislative reform to the 1033 program will not happen in 2014.
SWAT Lobby Shoots to Kill Police Reform After Ferguson|Tim Mak|December 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He asked nearly half the old lady's income; she sighed in relief.
Quisant|Anthony Hope
With a sigh of relief she stretches out her aching and swollen arms.
The Executioner's Knife|Eugne Sue
On August 8th the relief squadron and the rescued party arrived in New York.
The Naval History of the United States|Willis J. Abbot.
It would, indeed, in one aspect be a relief to her now, if she were so ashamed of him as she had appeared to be that day.
A Changed Man and Other Tales|Thomas Hardy
She took it quietly, but deeply, which troubled my private sense of relief, and indeed turned it into something very like regret.
The Book of Susan|Lee Wilson Dodd

British Dictionary definitions for relief

relief

/ (rɪˈliːf) /

noun

a feeling of cheerfulness or optimism that follows the removal of anxiety, pain, or distressI breathed a sigh of relief

deliverance from or alleviation of anxiety, pain, distress, etc

help or assistance, as to the poor, needy, or distressed
(as modifier)relief work

short for tax relief

something that affords a diversion from monotony

a person who replaces or relieves another at some task or duty

a bus, shuttle plane, etc, that carries additional passengers when a scheduled service is full

a road (relief road) carrying traffic round an urban area; bypass

the act of freeing a beleaguered town, fortress, etcthe relief of Mafeking
(as modifier)a relief column

Also called: relievo, rilievo sculpture architect

the projection of forms or figures from a flat ground, so that they are partly or wholly free of it
a piece of work of this kind

a printing process, such as engraving, letterpress, etc, that employs raised surfaces from which ink is transferred to the paper

any vivid effect resulting from contrastcomic relief

variation in altitude in an area; difference between highest and lowest levela region of low relief

mechanical engineering the removal of the surface material of a bearing area to allow the access of lubricating fluid

law redress of a grievance or hardshipto seek relief through the courts

European history a succession of payments made by an heir to a fief to his lord: the size of the relief was determined by the lord within bounds set by custom

on relief US and Canadian (of a person) in receipt of government aid because of personal need

Word Origin for relief

C14: from Old French, from relever to raise up; see relieve

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for relief (1 of 2)

relief

n.1

late 14c., "alleviation of distress, hunger, sickness, etc; state of being relieved; that which mitigates or removes" (pain, grief, evil, etc.)," from Anglo-French relif, from Old French relief "assistance," literally "a raising, that which is lifted," from stressed stem of relever (see relieve). Meaning "aid to impoverished persons" is attested from c.1400; that of "deliverance of a besieged town" is from c.1400. Earlier in English as "that which is left over or left behind," also "feudal payment to an overlord made by an heir upon taking possession of an estate" (both c.1200).

Word Origin and History for relief (1 of 2)

relief

n.2

"projection of figure or design from a flat surface," c.1600, from French relief, from Italian rilievo, from rilevare "to raise," from Latin relevare "to raise, lighten" (see relieve).

relief

noun

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Origin of relief

Definition for relief (2 of 2)

relief

noun

Origin of relief

Examples from the Web for relief

British Dictionary definitions for relief

relief

noun

Word Origin for relief

Word Origin and History for relief (1 of 2)

relief

Word Origin and History for relief (1 of 2)

relief