relieve
verb/rɪˈliːv/
/rɪˈliːv/
Verb Forms
Phrasal Verbs| present simple I / you / we / they relieve | /rɪˈliːv/ /rɪˈliːv/ |
| he / she / it relieves | /rɪˈliːvz/ /rɪˈliːvz/ |
| past simple relieved | /rɪˈliːvd/ /rɪˈliːvd/ |
| past participle relieved | /rɪˈliːvd/ /rɪˈliːvd/ |
| -ing form relieving | /rɪˈliːvɪŋ/ /rɪˈliːvɪŋ/ |
- relieve something to remove or reduce an unpleasant feeling or pain
- to relieve the symptoms of a cold
- to relieve anxiety/guilt/stress
- Being able to tell the truth at last seemed to relieve her.
Extra Examples- They try to relieve the symptoms of depression by drinking.
- Don't resort to alcohol to relieve stress.
- Take painkillers and hot drinks to relieve the symptoms.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- temporarily
- completely
- partially
- …
- attempt to
- try to
- help (to)
- …
Definitions on the go
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- relieve something to make a problem less serious synonym alleviate
- efforts to relieve poverty
- to relieve traffic congestion
- Aid workers called for further effort from governments to relieve the famine.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- temporarily
- completely
- partially
- …
- attempt to
- try to
- help (to)
- …
- relieve something to make something less boring, especially by introducing something different
- We played cards to relieve the boredom of the long wait.
- The black and white pattern is relieved by tiny coloured flowers.
- relieve somebody to replace somebody at the end of their period of duty
- to relieve a sentry
- You'll be relieved at six o'clock.
- relieve something to free a town, etc. from an enemy army that has surrounded it
- relieve yourself a polite way of referring to going to the toilet
- I had to relieve myself behind a bush.
Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French relever, from Latin relevare, from re- (expressing intensive force) + levare ‘raise’ (from levis ‘light’).
Check pronunciation:
relieve