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Webster 1913 Edition

Relief

Re-lief′

(r?-l?f′)
,
Noun.
[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.
Shakespeare
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.
☞ 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.

Webster 1828 Edition

Relief

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, &c. 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.

Definition 2024

Relief

Relief

See also: relief and reliéf

German

Noun

Relief n

  1. relief (type of artwork)
  2. (geology) relief

relief

relief

See also: Relief and reliéf

English

Noun

relief ‎(countable and uncountable, plural reliefs)

  1. The removal of stress or discomfort.
    I sighed with relief when I found out that my daughter hadn't got lost, but was waiting for me at home.‎
    • 1898, Winston Churchill, chapter 5, in The Celebrity:
      Although the Celebrity was almost impervious to sarcasm, he was now beginning to exhibit visible signs of uneasiness, […] . It was with a palpable relief that he heard the first warning notes of the figure.
  2. The feeling associated with the removal of stress or discomfort.
    • 1907, Harold Bindloss, chapter 20, in The Dust of Conflict:
      Tony's face expressed relief, and Nettie sat silent for a moment until the vicar said “It was a generous impulse, but it may have been a momentary one, […] .”
  3. The person who takes over a shift for another.
    Officer Schmidt can finally go home because his relief has arrived.‎
  4. Aid or assistance offered in time of need.
  5. (law) Court-ordered compensation, aid, or protection, a redress.
  6. A lowering of a tax through special provisions; short for tax relief.
Synonyms
Derived terms
Translations

Etymology 2

From Italian rilevare ‎(“to raise”), from Latin relevare ‎(“to raise”).

Noun

relief ‎(plural reliefs)

  1. A type of sculpture or other artwork in which shapes or figures protrude from a flat background.
  2. The apparent difference in elevation in the surface of a painting or drawing made noticeable by a variation in light or color.
  3. The difference of elevations on a surface.
    the relief on that part of the Earth's surface
Synonyms
Translations

Adjective

relief ‎(comparative more relief, superlative most relief)

  1. (of a surface) Characterized by surface inequalities.
  2. Of or used in letterpress.

Anagrams

French

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /rəljɛf/

Noun

relief m ‎(plural reliefs)

  1. projection, relief
  2. (geography, mineralogy) relief, surface elevation
  3. (figuratively) contrast, definition, offset (against something else)
  4. (sculpture) relief

Polish

Noun

relief m inan

  1. relief

Declension

Romanian

Noun

relief n ‎(plural reliefuri)

  1. relief (difference of elevations on the Earth's surface)

Related terms

  • reliefa
  • reliefare
  • reliefat

Etymology

From Old French relief ‎(“assistance”), from Old French relever ‎(“to relieve”), from Latin relevare ‎(“to raise up, make light”). See also relieve.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɹɪˈliːf/
  • Rhymes: -iːf

Similar Results