From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishrelievere‧lieve /rɪˈliːv/ ●●○ S3 verb [transitive] 1 painREDUCE to reduce someone’s pain or unpleasant feelings → relief Drugs helped to relieve the pain.relieve tension/pressure/stress etc Some people eat for comfort, to relieve their anxieties.2 problem to make a problem less difficult or serious programs aimed at relieving unemployment3 replace somebodyREPLACE to replace someone when they have completed their duty or when they need a rest The guard will be relieved at midnight.4 → relieve yourself5 boringBORING to make something less dull and boring a plain wall relieved by flecks of blue and yellowrelieve the boredom/monotony The books helped relieve the boredom of waiting.6 warPM formal to free a town which an enemy has surroundedCOLLOCATIONSnounsrelieve painWhat’s the best way of relieving back pain?relieve symptomsDrinking a pint of water should help to relieve the symptoms.relieve tensionThey all laughed and it helped to relieve the tension.relieve stressDon’t resort to alcohol to relieve your stress.relieve anxietyWe offer patients a gentle massage to help relieve anxiety.relieve pressureDoctors should have inserted a needle into the lungs to relieve the pressure. → relieve somebody of something→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
relieve• It clearly relieved and heartened them.• After about 20 hours, they were relieved by another crew.• He was sent to Cairo to relieve Captain Roberts for a few days.• Regular exercise can relieve depression and anxiety.• Peppermint has long been regarded as a plant that can relieve indigestion.• Massage-Good for general relaxation and to relieve stress buildup in the muscle tissue.• Estrogen replacement relieves such symptoms of menopause as hot flashes and night sweats, reduces bone loss and relieves vaginal dryness.• Can anyone relieve Tammy? She's been on duty for ten hours without a break.• Magnetic board games can help relieve the boredom of long car journeys for kids.• Near the end Joey Beauchamp relieved the pain with his second goal of the season.• Just take some Tylenol to relieve the pain.• Harry attempted a couple of jokes to relieve the tension of the occasion.• What can you do to relieve those of your colleagues or staff?relieve tension/pressure/stress etc• For some, it's the chewing itself that relieves tension.• Massage-Good for general relaxation and to relieve stress buildup in the muscle tissue.• The workouts were intended to relieve stress, but they were for vanity, too.• Next, learn to pause and de-stress, because relieving stress can save your life!• And it is proven to lead to stronger, more solid bones, relieve tension, depression and insomnia.• You know they probably would just relieve pressure of something of that sort.• When he played for Phoenix, Ceballos came off the bench to relieve pressure on Charles Barkley with his shooting.• Intended to relieve pressure on the most popular courses, the system should be up and running this spring.relieve the boredom/monotony• He attempts reading it upside down, which temporarily relieves the boredom.• This year's card would relieve the monotony.• These inventions not only relieved the boredom but gave escape from pain.• Harry tried to relieve the boredom by singing and whistling.• Sometimes she would try out different routes to relieve the monotony of her daily journey.• Cross-country skiing relieves the monotony of winter.From Longman Business Dictionaryrelievere‧lieve /rɪˈliːv/ verb [transitive] to make a bad situation less severeIts Japanese parent company is expected to inject capital to relieve its crushing $3 billion debt. → relieve somebody of something→ See Verb tableOrigin relieve (1300-1400) Old French relever “to raise, relieve”, from Latin relevare, from levare “to raise” 