relief1

[ri-leef] /rɪˈlif/
noun
1.
alleviation, ease, or deliverance through the removal of pain, distress, oppression, etc.
2.
a means or thing that relieves pain, distress, anxiety, etc.
3.
money, food, or other help given to those in poverty or need.
4.
something affording a pleasing change, as from monotony.
5.
release from a post of duty, as by the arrival of a substitute or replacement.
6.
the person or persons acting as replacement.
7.
the rescue of a besieged town, fort, etc., from an attacking force.
8.
the freeing of a closed space, as a tank or boiler, from more than a desirable amount of pressure or vacuum.
9.
Feudal Law. a fine or composition which the heir of a feudal tenant paid to the lord for the privilege of succeeding to the estate.
10.
Literature.
  1. a distinct or abrupt change in mood, scene, action, etc., resulting in a reduction of intensity, as in a play or novel.
  2. comic relief.
Idioms
11.
on relief, receiving financial assistance from a municipal, state, or federal government because of poverty or need.
Origin
1300-50; Middle English relef < Old French relief, derivative of relever to raise; see relieve
Related forms
reliefless, adjective
Synonyms
1. mitigation, assuagement, comfort. 3. succor, aid, redress, remedy.
Antonyms
1. intensification.

relief2

[ri-leef] /rɪˈlif/
noun
1.
prominence, distinctness, or vividness due to contrast.
2.
the projection of a figure or part from the ground or plane on which it is formed, as in sculpture or similar work.
3.
a piece or work in such projection.
4.
an apparent projection of parts in a painting, drawing, etc., giving the appearance of the third dimension.
5.
Physical Geography. the differences in elevation and slope between the higher and lower parts of the land surface of a given area.
6.
Also called relief printing. Printing. any printing process, as letterpress or flexography, in which the printing ink is transferred to paper or another printed surface from areas that are higher than the rest of the block.
Origin
1600-10; < French relief and Italian rilievo; see relief1
Examples from the web for relief
  • So the researchers used the endorphins' pain relief to determine if laughter causes an endorphin release.
  • It had few people, no resources and no relief from the blistering heat.
  • It's always a huge relief to clear things off that screen.
  • In reality, however, economic activity is largely concerned with the relief of unhappiness.
  • These rejection-letter stories are a welcome relief from the disillusionment that accompanies them.
  • How unpleasant writing a grant can be is brought into relief by the sheer amount of effort required to succeed.
  • Sometimes the family stood in relief lines to collect food.
  • For comic relief, show monkey approaching a skunk and getting sprayed.
  • Nor would those candidates now be desperately outdoing one another with brutish demands for ever more tax relief for zillionaires.
  • It's such relief to be in a place where there isn't one screen or pixel.
British Dictionary definitions for relief

relief

/rɪˈliːf/
noun
1.
a feeling of cheerfulness or optimism that follows the removal of anxiety, pain, or distress: I breathed a sigh of relief
2.
deliverance from or alleviation of anxiety, pain, distress, etc
3.
  1. help or assistance, as to the poor, needy, or distressed
  2. (as modifier): relief work
4.
short for tax relief
5.
something that affords a diversion from monotony
6.
a person who replaces or relieves another at some task or duty
7.
a bus, shuttle plane, etc, that carries additional passengers when a scheduled service is full
8.
a road (relief road) carrying traffic round an urban area; bypass
9.
  1. the act of freeing a beleaguered town, fortress, etc: the relief of Mafeking
  2. (as modifier): a relief column
10.
(sculpture, architect) Also called relievo, rilievo
  1. the projection of forms or figures from a flat ground, so that they are partly or wholly free of it
  2. a piece of work of this kind
11.
a printing process, such as engraving, letterpress, etc, that employs raised surfaces from which ink is transferred to the paper
12.
any vivid effect resulting from contrast: comic relief
13.
variation in altitude in an area; difference between highest and lowest level: a region of low relief
14.
(mechanical engineering) the removal of the surface material of a bearing area to allow the access of lubricating fluid
15.
(law) redress of a grievance or hardship: to seek relief through the courts
16.
(European history) a succession of payments made by an heir to a fief to his lord: the size of the relief was determined by the lord within bounds set by custom
17.
(US & Canadian) on relief, (of a person) in receipt of government aid because of personal need
Word Origin
C14: from Old French, from relever to raise up; see relieve
Word Origin and History for relief
n.

late 14c., "alleviation of distress, hunger, sickness, etc; state of being relieved; that which mitigates or removes" (pain, grief, evil, etc.)," from Anglo-French relif, from Old French relief "assistance," literally "a raising, that which is lifted," from stressed stem of relever (see relieve). Meaning "aid to impoverished persons" is attested from c.1400; that of "deliverance of a besieged town" is from c.1400. Earlier in English as "that which is left over or left behind," also "feudal payment to an overlord made by an heir upon taking possession of an estate" (both c.1200).

"projection of figure or design from a flat surface," c.1600, from French relief, from Italian rilievo, from rilevare "to raise," from Latin relevare "to raise, lighten" (see relieve).