Relieving

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Relieve \Re*lieve"\ (r?-l?v"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Relieved}
     (-l?vd"); p. pr. & vb. n. {Relieving}.] [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.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. To cause to seem to rise; to put in relief; to give
        prominence or conspicuousness to; to set off by contrast.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Her tall figure relieved against the blue sky;
              seemed almost of supernatural height. --Sir W.
                                                    Scott.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. To raise up something in; to introduce a contrast or
        variety into; to remove the monotony or sameness of.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              The poet must . . . sometimes relieve the subject
              with a moral reflection.              --Addison.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. To raise or remove, as anything which depresses, weighs
        down, or crushes; to render less burdensome or afflicting;
        to alleviate; to abate; to mitigate; to lessen; as, to
        relieve pain; to relieve the wants of the poor.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     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.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Now lend assistance and relieve the poor. --Dryden.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     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.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Who hath relieved you?                --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     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.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Syn: To alleviate; assuage; succor; assist; aid; help;
          support; substain; ease; mitigate; lighten; diminish;
          remove; free; remedy; redress; indemnify.
          [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Relieving \Re*liev"ing\, a.
     Serving or tending to relieve.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     {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.
         [1913 Webster]