relieve English · revision 39705

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=a1382, Wycliffite Bible|origins=la levis}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ɹɪˈliːv/^(Wiktionary)

+ * US: /ɹɪˈliv/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is partly [[bor|xno|releiver]], beside [[fro|relever|t=to raise again, relieve]], and partly a direct borrowing of its source, [[la|relevō|t=to raise, lighten, ease, free from a burden]].^(OED 2026)^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(AHD 2024) The Latin verb is formed with [[re-]], probably intensive here, on [[m|la|levō|t=to lift up, make light]],^(Etymonline)^(ODE 2010)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[m|la|levis|t=light, not heavy]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Klein 1966)^(ODE 2010)^(Hoad 1986) which the American Heritage Dictionary and Etymonline trace to [[ine-pro|*legʷʰ-|t=light, having little weight]].^(AHD 2024)^(Etymonline) Ayto notes that the extension to "lighten, ease" had already happened in Latin,^(Ayto 2005) and Etymonline sums up the underlying idea as "to raise someone out of trouble".^(Etymonline) The spelling ''relieve'' appears before 1393, beside earlier [[m|enm|releeven]].^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ To ease a person or the mind of sorrow, fear or other distress, and to ease a person or part of the body from pain: both a1382, in the earlier Wycliffite Bible.^(OED 2026)^(HTOED) Barnhart dates it to about 1370,^(Barnhart 1988) and Etymonline to the late 14th century, when it also meant to give alms to or provide for someone.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Many of the early senses were practical: to provide for the poor (a1387), to feed, of a hart or hare (c1475–1750), and to send supplies or fresh troops (1487–1750).^(OED 2026) Etymonline dates the military sense, to come to the rescue of a besieged place, to about 1400.^(Etymonline) The sense "to release someone from a post or duty by taking their place" is first recorded in 1416, according to Barnhart, though the OED dates the military use to ?1576.^(Barnhart 1988)^(HTOED) Freeing someone from an obligation is recorded from 1549,^(HTOED) and to make something less monotonous by variety from 1663.^(OED 2026) Some senses came through ''relief'': Hoad notes that the sense "to release from guard or watch" followed ''relief'', the noun, and that "to bring into relief", to make something stand out, came in the 18th century after ''relief'' in art.^(Hoad 1986) Johnson (1755) gave as his first sense "to recommend by the interposition of something dissimilar", that is, to set off by contrast.^(Johnson 1755) The euphemism ''relieve oneself'', to urinate or defecate, is recorded from 1915,^(OED 2026) and in baseball ''relieve'' has meant to take over as pitcher since 1944.^(HTOED)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * a1382 – to ease from distress or pain.^(OED 2026)

+ * a1387 – to provide for the poor.^(OED 2026)

+ * c1400 – to rescue, to bring help to a besieged place.^(OED 2026)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1416 – to release from duty (Barnhart).^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1549 – to free from an obligation.^(HTOED)

+ * ?1576 – to take over a duty from someone (OED).^(HTOED)

+ * 1663 – to relieve monotony with variety.^(OED 2026)

+ * 1700 – to make something stand out by contrast.^(HTOED)

+ * 1915 – ''relieve oneself'', to urinate or defecate.^(OED 2026)

+ * 1944 – (baseball) to come in as relief pitcher.^(HTOED)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To lessen or remove [[pain]], [[distress]] or [[anxiety]], or to make a person feel less worried: ''The news of the rescue relieved the families.''^(Collins 2023)^(MWU 2024)^(OED 2026)

+ # To bring aid to people in need, or to a [[siege|alt=besieged]] town.^(Collins 2023)^(MWU 2024)^(OED 2026)

+ # To take over a [[duty]] or watch from someone: ''The night nurse relieved her at eight.''^(Collins 2023)^(MWU 2024)^(OED 2026)

+ # To free someone from a burden or [[obligation]], or (formal or humorous) to take something from them: ''The pickpocket relieved him of his wallet.''^(Collins 2023)^(MWU 2024)

+ # To make something less dull or unpleasant by adding variety: ''A single red chair relieved the grey of the room.''^(Collins 2023)^(OED 2026)

+ # ''relieve oneself'': to [[urinate]] or [[defecate]].^(Collins 2023)^(OED 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[relievable]]

+ * [[reliever]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[relevance]]

+ * [[relevancy]]

+ * [[relevant]]

+ * [[relief]]

+ * [[lever]]

+ * [[elevate]]

+ * [[levy]]

+ * [[alleviate]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}