Search results
- Dictionaryrelief/rɪˈliːf/
noun
- 1. a feeling of reassurance and relaxation following release from anxiety or distress: "much to her relief, she saw the door open" Similar reassuranceconsolationcomfortsolacecalmnessrelaxationreposeease
- ▪ a cause of or occasion for relief: "it was a relief to find somewhere to stay"
- ▪ the alleviation of pain, discomfort, or distress: "tablets for the relief of pain" Similar alleviationalleviatingrelievingmitigationmitigatingassuagementassuagingpalliationallayingappeasementsoothingeasingdullinglesseningreductionabatementfreedomreleaseliberationdeliveranceexemptiondischargeOpposite intensification
- ▪ something interesting or enjoyable that provides a short respite from a tense or tedious situation: "the kiss-and-tell tale gave the nation some light relief from page after page of war coverage" Similar respiteremissionlighteningbrighteningamusementdiversionentertainmentjollityjollificationrecreationinterruptionbreakinformal:let-upOpposite seriousnesssolemnity
- 2. financial or practical assistance given to those in special need or difficulty: "raising money for famine relief" Similar helpaidassistancesuccourcaresustenancesubsidybenefitcharitygiftsdonationsfinancial assistancedebt remissiona helping handa leg up
- ▪ a remission of tax normally due: "employees who donate to charity will receive tax relief"
- ▪ the redress of a hardship or grievance.
- ▪ the action of raising the siege of a besieged town: "the relief of Mafeking"
- 3. a person or group of people replacing others who have been on duty: "the relief nurse was late" Similar replacementsubstitutedeputyreservestandbystopgapcoverstand-insupplyfill-inlocumlocum tenensunderstudyproxysurrogate
- ▪ an extra vehicle providing supplementary public transport at peak times or in emergencies: British "the coach had broken down and a relief vehicle had taken an hour to arrive"
- 4. the state of being clearly visible or obvious due to being accentuated: "the setting sun threw the snow-covered peaks into relief"
- ▪ a method of moulding, carving, or stamping in which the design stands out from the surface, to a greater (high relief) or lesser (low relief) extent: "he cast them in relief from molten metal"
- ▪ a piece of sculpture in relief.
- ▪ a representation of relief given by an arrangement of line or colour or shading.
- ▪ difference in height from the surrounding terrain: "the sharp relief of many mountains"
Word Origin late Middle English: from Old French, from relever ‘raise up, relieve’, from Latin relevare ‘raise again, alleviate’.
Scrabble Points: 9
R
1E
1L
1I
1E
1F
4
Powered by Oxford Dictionaries