Adjacent Words

Relief definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

RELIE'F, n.
1. The removal, in whole or in part, of any evil that afflicts the body of mind; the removal or alleviation of pain, grief, want, care, anxiety, toil or distress, or of any thing oppressive or burdensome, by which some ease is obtained. Rest gives relief to the body when weary; an anodyne gives relief from pain; the sympathy of friends affords some relief to the distressed; a loan of money to a man embarrassed may afford him a temporary relief; medicines which will not cure a disease, sometimes give a partial relief. A complete relief from the troubles of life is never to be expected.
2. That which mitigates or removes pain, grief or other evil.
3. The dismission of a sentinel from his post, whose place is supplied by another soldier; also, the person who takes his place.
4. In sculpture, etc. the projecture or prominence of a figure above or beyond the ground or plane on which it is formed. Relief is of three kinds; high relief [alto relievo;] low relief [basso relievo;] and demi relief [demi relievo.] The difference is in the degree of projecture. High relief is formed from nature, as when a figure projects as much as the life. Low relief is when the figure projects but little, as in medals, festoons, foliages and other ornaments. Demi relief is when one half of the figure rises from the plane.
5. In painting, the appearance of projection, or the degree of boldness which a figure exhibits to the eye at a distance.
6. In feudal law, a fine or composition which the heir of a tenant, holding by knight's service or other tenure, paid to the lord at the death of the ancestor, for the privilege of taking up the estate which, on strict feudal principles, had lapsed or fallen to the lord on the death of the tenant. This relief consisted of horses, arms, money and the like, the amount of which was originally arbitrary, but afterwards fixed at a certain rate by law. It is not payable, unless the heir at the death of his ancestor had attained to the age of twenty one years.
7. A remedy, partial or total, for any wrong suffered; redress; indemnification. He applied to chancery, but could get no relief. He petitioned the legislature and obtained relief.
8. The exposure of any thing by the proximity of something else.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: the feeling that comes when something burdensome is removed or reduced; "as he heard the news he was suddenly flooded with relief" [syn: relief, alleviation, assuagement]
2: the condition of being comfortable or relieved (especially after being relieved of distress); "he enjoyed his relief from responsibility"; "getting it off his conscience gave him some ease" [syn: relief, ease]
3: (law) redress awarded by a court; "was the relief supposed to be protection from future harm or compensation for past injury?"
4: someone who takes the place of another (as when things get dangerous or difficult); "the star had a stand-in for dangerous scenes"; "we need extra employees for summer fill- ins" [syn: stand-in, substitute, relief, reliever, backup, backup man, fill-in]
5: assistance in time of difficulty; "the contributions provided some relief for the victims" [syn: relief, succor, succour, ministration]
6: a pause for relaxation; "people actually accomplish more when they take time for short rests" [syn: respite, rest, relief, rest period]
7: a change for the better [syn: easing, moderation, relief]
8: aid for the aged or indigent or handicapped; "he has been on relief for many years"
9: the act of reducing something unpleasant (as pain or annoyance); "he asked the nurse for relief from the constant pain" [syn: easing, easement, alleviation, relief]
10: sculpture consisting of shapes carved on a surface so as to stand out from the surrounding background [syn: relief, relievo, rilievo, embossment, sculptural relief]
11: the act of freeing a city or town that has been besieged; "he asked for troops for the relief of Atlanta"

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English relef, relief, from Anglo-French from relever to relieve Date: 14th century 1. a payment made by a male feudal tenant to his lord on succeeding to an inherited estate 2. a. removal or lightening of something oppressive, painful, or distressing b. welfare 2a c. military assistance to an endangered post or force d. means of breaking or avoiding monotony or boredom ; diversion 3. release from a post or from the performance of duty 4. one that takes the place of another on duty 5. legal remedy or redress 6. [French, from Middle French, from Italian rilievo relievo] a. a mode of sculpture in which forms and figures are distinguished from a surrounding plane surface b. sculpture or a sculptural form executed in this mode c. projecting detail, ornament, or figures 7. a. sharpness of outline due to contrast <a roof in bold relief against the sky> b. the state of being distinguished by contrast <throws the two opinions into bold relief> 8. the elevations or inequalities of a land surface 9. the pitching done by a relief pitcher <two innings of hitless relief> II. adjective Date: 1838 1. providing relief 2. characterized by surface inequalities 3. of or used in letterpress

Britannica Concise

(from Italian, rilievare: "to raise") In sculpture, any work in which the figures project from a supporting background, usually a plane surface. Bas-reliefs ("low reliefs"), in which the design projects only slightly, were common on the walls of stone buildings in ancient Egypt, Assyria, and elsewhere in the Middle East. High reliefs, in which the forms project at least half or more of their natural circumference, were first employed by the ancient Greeks. Italian Renaissance sculptors combined high and low relief in strikingly illusionistic compositions, as in L. Ghiberti's bronze doors in Florence. Baroque sculptors continued these experiments, often on a larger scale (e.g., A. Algardi's Meeting of Attila and Pope Leo, 1646-53). The dramatic possibilities of the Renaissance concept of relief were later notably employed by F. Rude (The Marseillaise, 1833-36) and A. Rodin (The Gates of Hell). Public or private aid to people in economic need because of natural disasters, wars, economic upheaval, chronic unemployment, or other conditions that prevent self-sufficiency. A distinction may be drawn between relief targeting upheavals and natural disasters and relief of chronic social conditions, now usually referred to as welfare. In 17th-cent. China the government maintained ever-normal granaries for use in the event of famine. Through the 19th cent., disaster relief in Europe consisted largely of emergency grants of food, clothing, and medical care through hastily organized local committees. In the 20th cent., disaster relief became one of the chief activities of the International Red Cross and other international agencies. Assistance to the needy from public funds has traditionally been strictly limited; in England, the Poor Law Reform Act of 1834 required people able to work to enter a workhouse in order to receive public assistance. The U.S. government responded to the Great Depression with the New Deal, which emphasized work relief programs such as the Works Progress Administration. In the later 20th cent., the work requirement was abandoned in most countries, and the needy received direct cash payments, though in the U.S. the movement for welfare reform resulted in the passage in 1996 of "workfare" laws cutting off relief for most able-bodied welfare recipients who fail to take government-sponsored jobs. (from Italian, rilievare: "to raise") In sculpture, any work in which the figures project from a supporting background, usually a plane surface. Bas-reliefs ("low reliefs"), in which the design projects only slightly, were common on the walls of stone buildings in ancient Egypt, Assyria, and elsewhere in the Middle East. High reliefs, in which the forms project at least half or more of their natural circumference, were first employed by the ancient Greeks. Italian Renaissance sculptors combined high and low relief in strikingly illusionistic compositions, as in L. Ghiberti's bronze doors in Florence. Baroque sculptors continued these experiments, often on a larger scale (e.g., A. Algardi's Meeting of Attila and Pope Leo, 1646-53). The dramatic possibilities of the Renaissance concept of relief were later notably employed by F. Rude (The Marseillaise, 1833-36) and A. Rodin (The Gates of Hell). Public or private aid to people in economic need because of natural disasters, wars, economic upheaval, chronic unemployment, or other conditions that prevent self-sufficiency. A distinction may be drawn between relief targeting upheavals and natural disasters and relief of chronic social conditions, now usually referred to as welfare. In 17th-cent. China the government maintained ever-normal granaries for use in the event of famine. Through the 19th cent., disaster relief in Europe consisted largely of emergency grants of food, clothing, and medical care through hastily organized local committees. In the 20th cent., disaster relief became one of the chief activities of the International Red Cross and other international agencies. Assistance to the needy from public funds has traditionally been strictly limited; in England, the Poor Law Reform Act of 1834 required people able to work to enter a workhouse in order to receive public assistance. The U.S. government responded to the Great Depression with the New Deal, which emphasized work relief programs such as the Works Progress Administration. In the later 20th cent., the work requirement was abandoned in most countries, and the needy received direct cash payments, though in the U.S. the movement for welfare reform resulted in the passage in 1996 of "workfare" laws cutting off relief for most able-bodied welfare recipients who fail to take government-sponsored jobs.

U.S. Military Dictionary

(*) Inequalities of evaluation and the configuration of land features on the surface of the Earth which may be represented on maps or charts by contours, hypsometric tints, shading, or spot elevations.

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 a the alleviation of or deliverance from pain, distress, anxiety, etc. b the feeling accompanying such deliverance. 2 a feature etc. that diversifies monotony or relaxes tension. 3 assistance (esp. financial) given to those in special need or difficulty (rent relief). 4 a the replacing of a person or persons on duty by another or others. b a person or persons replacing others in this way. 5 (usu. attrib.) a thing supplementing another in some service, esp. an extra vehicle providing public transport at peak times. 6 a a method of moulding or carving or stamping in which the design stands out from the surface, with projections proportioned and more (high relief) or less (low relief) closely approximating to those of the objects depicted (cf. ROUND n. 9). b a piece of sculpture etc. in relief. c a representation of relief given by an arrangement of line or colour or shading. 7 vividness, distinctness (brings the facts out in sharp relief). 8 (foll. by of) the reinforcement (esp. the raising of a siege) of a place. 9 esp. Law the redress of a hardship or grievance. Phrases and idioms: relief map 1 a map indicating hills and valleys by shading etc. rather than by contour lines alone. 2 a map-model showing elevations and depressions, usu. on an exaggerated relative scale. relief printing = LETTERPRESS 2. relief road a road taking traffic around a congested (esp. urban) area. Etymology: ME f AF relef, OF relief (in sense 6 F relief f. It. rilievo) f. relever: see RELIEVE

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Relief Re*lief" (r?-l?f"), n. [OE. relef, F. relief, properly, a lifting up, a standing out. See Relieve, and cf. Basrelief, Rilievi.] 1. The act of relieving, or the state of being relieved; the removal, or partial removal, of any evil, or of anything oppressive or burdensome, by which some ease is obtained; succor; alleviation; comfort; ease; redress. He sees the dire contagion spread so fast, That, where it seizes, all relief is vain. --Dryden. 2. Release from a post, or from the performance of duty, by the intervention of others, by discharge, or by relay; as, a relief of a sentry. For this relief much thanks; 'tis bitter cold. --Shak. 3. That which removes or lessens evil, pain, discomfort, uneasiness, etc.; that which gives succor, aid, or comfort; also, the person who relieves from performance of duty by taking the place of another; a relay. 4. (Feudal Law) A fine or composition which the heir of a deceased tenant paid to the lord for the privilege of taking up the estate, which, on strict feudal principles, had lapsed or fallen to the lord on the death of the tenant. 5. (Sculp. & Arch.) The projection of a figure above the ground or plane on which it is formed. Note: Relief is of three kinds, namely, high relief (altorilievo), low relief, (basso-rilievo), and demirelief (mezzo-rilievo). See these terms in the Vocabulary. 6. (Paint.) The appearance of projection given by shading, shadow, etc., to any figure. 7. (Fort.) The height to which works are raised above the bottom of the ditch. --Wilhelm. 8. (Physical Geog.) The elevations and surface undulations of a country. --Guyot. Relief valve, a valve arranged for relieving pressure of steam, gas, or liquid; an escape valve. Syn: Alleviation; mitigation; aid; help; succor; assistance; remedy; redress; indemnification.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(reliefs) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. If you feel a sense of relief, you feel happy because something unpleasant has not happened or is no longer happening. I breathed a sigh of relief... The news will come as a great relief to the French authorities... N-UNCOUNT: also a N 2. If something provides relief from pain or distress, it stops the pain or distress. ...a self-help programme which can give lasting relief from the torment of hay fever. N-UNCOUNT: oft N from n 3. Relief is money, food, or clothing that is provided for people who are very poor, or who have been affected by war or a natural disaster. Relief agencies are stepping up efforts to provide food, shelter and agricultural equipment. N-UNCOUNT: oft N n, n N 4. A relief worker is someone who does your work when you go home, or who is employed to do it instead of you when you are sick. No relief drivers were available. N-COUNT: usu N n 5. see also bas-relief, tax relief

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. 1. Succor, help, assistance, aid, support, alleviation, mitigation, ease, comfort. 2. Release. 3. Redress, indemnification, remedy. 4. Projection, prominence, rilievo.

Moby Thesaurus

ADC, CYSP sculpture, Medicaid, Medicare, abatement, agent, aid, aid and comfort, alimony, allayment, alleviation, allotment, allowance, alterative, alternate, alternative, anaglyph, anaglyptics, anaglyptography, analeptic, analogy, annuity, appeasement, architectural sculpture, assist, assistance, assuagement, assurance, auxiliaries, backup, balm, balsam, bas-relief, bellying, benefit, benevolence, boldness, bone-carving, boss, bounty, bout, break, bulging, cameo, cameo glass, casting, cavo-rilievo, ceroplastics, chance, change, changeling, chasing, clay sculpture, clemency, coffee break, comfort, commiseration, comparison, compassion, condolence, configuration, consolation, contour, contrast, copy, corrective, counterfeit, cradle-to-grave security, cure, cut glass, decorative sculpture, delineation, deliverance, depletion allowance, deputy, disburdening, disencumberment, dole, double, downtime, dummy, earth art, ease, easement, easing, elevation, embossing, embossment, eminence, encouragement, engraving, equal, equivalent, ersatz, exchange, excrescence, excrescency, extrusion, fake, favor, features, feeling, fellowship, figuration, figure, fill-in, financial assistance, forbearance, forgiveness, founding, framework, garden sculpture, gem-cutting, gestalt, ghost, ghostwriter, gibbosity, gibbousness, glass sculpture, glyph, glyptic, glyptograph, go, good offices, grace, grant, grant-in-aid, guaranteed annual income, guaranteed income, half time, half-time intermission, hand, healing agent, healing quality, health insurance, help, high relief, holiday, humanity, imitation, inning, innings, intaglio, intaglio rilevato, intaglio rilievo, interim, interlude, intermezzo, intermission, intermittence, interregnum, interruption, interval, ivory-carving, kindness, leniency, letup, liberation, lift, lightening, lineaments, lines, locum tenens, lost-wax process, low relief, lull, main features, makeshift, mask, medal, medallion, mercy, metal sculpture, metaphor, metonymy, ministration, ministry, mitigation, modeling, molding, mollification, monumental sculpture, next best thing, off-time, office, offices, old-age assistance, old-age insurance, opportunity, outline, paper sculpture, pardon, pathos, pause, pecuniary aid, pension, personnel, phony, pinch hitter, pity, place, plaquette, plaster casting, plastic art, plateau, point of repose, portrait sculpture, prescription, price support, profile, projection, prominence, protection, protrusion, protuberance, protuberancy, proxy, public assistance, public welfare, quarter, quiet spell, reassurance, receipt, recess, recipe, redress, reinforcements, release, relief-carving, relievo, remedial measure, remedy, remission, replacement, representative, reprieve, rescue, reserve forces, reserves, respite, resting point, restorative, retirement benefits, ringer, round, ruth, salience, salient, say, scholarship, sculptor, sculpture, sculptured glass, sculpturing, second string, secondary, self-pity, service, shapes, shell-carving, shred of comfort, sickness insurance, sign, silhouette, skeleton, social insurance, social security, social welfare, socialized medicine, softening, solace, solacement, sovereign remedy, spares, specific, specific remedy, spell, stand-in, state medicine, statuary, stipend, stone sculpture, stonecutting, sub, subsidization, subsidy, substituent, substitute, substitution, subvention, succedaneum, succor, superseder, supplanter, support, surrogate, symbol, sympathy, synecdoche, tax benefit, therapy, third string, time, time at bat, time off, time out, token, tournure, tuberosity, tuberousness, turn, unballasting, unburdening, understudy, unemployment compensation, unemployment insurance, unfreighting, unlading, unloading, unsaddling, untaxing, utility player, vacation, vicar, vice-president, vice-regent, welfare, welfare aid, welfare capitalism, welfare payments, welfare state, welfare statism, welfarism, whack, whittling, wire sculpture, womb-to-tomb security, wood carving, xyloglyphy