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RELIEF
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I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
The act of reducing something unpleasant (as pain or annoyance)
Example:
he asked the nurse for relief from the constant pain
Synonyms:
alleviation; easement; easing; relief
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Hypernyms ("relief" is a kind of...):
decrease; diminution; reduction; step-down (the act of decreasing or reducing something)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "relief"):
spasmolysis (the relaxation or relief of muscle spasms)
detente (the easing of tensions or strained relations (especially between nations))
palliation (easing the severity of a pain or a disease without removing the cause)
liberalisation; liberalization; relaxation (the act of making less strict)
decompressing; decompression (relieving pressure (especially bringing a compressed person gradually back to atmospheric pressure))
Sense 2
Meaning:
The act of freeing a city or town that has been besieged
Example:
he asked for troops for the relief of Atlanta
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Hypernyms ("relief" is a kind of...):
freeing; liberation; release (the act of liberating someone or something)
Sense 3
Meaning:
Aid for the aged or indigent or handicapped
Example:
he has been on relief for many years
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Hypernyms ("relief" is a kind of...):
public assistance; social welfare; welfare (governmental provision of economic assistance to persons in need)
Sense 4
Meaning:
Assistance in time of difficulty
Example:
the contributions provided some relief for the victims
Synonyms:
ministration; relief; succor; succour
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Hypernyms ("relief" is a kind of...):
aid; assist; assistance; help (the activity of contributing to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "relief"):
comfort; consolation; solace (the act of consoling; giving relief in affliction)
mercy (alleviation of distress; showing great kindness toward the distressed)
Sense 5
Meaning:
Sculpture consisting of shapes carved on a surface so as to stand out from the surrounding background
Synonyms:
embossment; relief; relievo; rilievo; sculptural relief
Classified under:
Nouns denoting man-made objects
Hypernyms ("relief" is a kind of...):
sculpture (a three-dimensional work of plastic art)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "relief"):
half-relief; mezzo-relievo; mezzo-rilievo (a sculptural relief between low relief and high relief)
bas relief; basso relievo; basso rilievo; low relief (a sculptural relief in which forms extend only slightly from the background; no figures are undercut)
alto relievo; alto rilievo; high relief (a sculptural relief in which forms extend out from the background to at least half their depth)
Sense 6
Meaning:
A change for the better
Synonyms:
easing; moderation; relief
Classified under:
Hypernyms ("relief" is a kind of...):
alteration; change; modification (an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "relief"):
disembarrassment (something that extricates you from embarrassment)
breath of fresh air (a welcome relief)
Sense 7
Meaning:
The feeling that comes when something burdensome is removed or reduced
Example:
as he heard the news he was suddenly flooded with relief
Synonyms:
alleviation; assuagement; relief
Classified under:
Nouns denoting feelings and emotions
Hypernyms ("relief" is a kind of...):
comfort (a feeling of freedom from worry or disappointment)
Sense 8
Meaning:
Someone who takes the place of another (as when things get dangerous or difficult)
Example:
we need extra employees for summer fill-ins
Synonyms:
backup; backup man; fill-in; relief; reliever; stand-in; substitute
Classified under:
Hypernyms ("relief" is a kind of...):
compeer; equal; match; peer (a person who is of equal standing with another in a group)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "relief"):
locum; locum tenens (someone (physician or clergyman) who substitutes temporarily for another member of the same profession)
double; stunt man; stunt woman (a stand-in for movie stars to perform dangerous stunts)
alternate; replacement; surrogate (someone who takes the place of another person)
Sense 9
Meaning:
(law) redress awarded by a court
Example:
was the relief supposed to be protection from future harm or compensation for past injury?
Classified under:
Nouns denoting possession and transfer of possession
Hypernyms ("relief" is a kind of...):
amends; damages; indemnification; indemnity; redress; restitution (a sum of money paid in compensation for loss or injury)
Domain category:
jurisprudence; law (the collection of rules imposed by authority)
Sense 10
Meaning:
The condition of being comfortable or relieved (especially after being relieved of distress)
Example:
getting it off his conscience gave him some ease
Synonyms:
ease; relief
Classified under:
Nouns denoting stable states of affairs
Hypernyms ("relief" is a kind of...):
comfort; comfortableness (a state of being relaxed and feeling no pain)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "relief"):
reprieve; respite (a (temporary) relief from harm or discomfort)
Sense 11
Meaning:
A pause for relaxation
Example:
people actually accomplish more when they take time for short rests
Synonyms:
relief; respite; rest; rest period
Classified under:
Nouns denoting time and temporal relations
Hypernyms ("relief" is a kind of...):
break; intermission; interruption; pause; suspension (a time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "relief"):
breath; breather; breathing place; breathing space; breathing spell; breathing time (a short respite)
Context examples:
The poor soul's body will enjoy the relief even if his mind cannot appreciate it.
(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)
It is being studied in the relief of pain following surgery for cancer.
(Bupivacaine, NCI Dictionary)
It is being studied in the prevention and treatment of some types of cancer and heart disease and in the relief of side effects caused by some cancer treatments.
(coenzyme Q10, NCI Dictionary)
This gave me some faint hopes of relief, although I was not able to imagine how it could be brought about.
(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)
“Uriah Heep is a great relief to me,” said Mr. Wickfield, in the same dull voice.
(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)
The hunters laughed from sheer relief.
(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)
She turned and trotted back into the forest, to the great relief of One Eye, who trotted a little to the fore until they were well within the shelter of the trees.
(White Fang, by Jack London)
“What an eye you have!” he cried, with a sigh of relief.
(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
So he bolted his breakfast, a sickly, sloppy affair, as rapidly as they, and heaved a sigh of relief when he passed out through the kitchen door.
(Martin Eden, by Jack London)
“Oh, certainly, certainly,” answered Mr. Baker with a sigh of relief.
(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
