relieve
/rɪˈliːv/ (bre, ipa) · /rɪˈliːv/ (ame, ipa) · /ri-ˈlēv/ (ame, mw)
relieve — verb
- relievepresent simple I / you / we / they
- relieveshe / she / it
- relievedpast simple
- relieving-ing form
1. to reduce how strong an unpleasant bodily sensation or emotional trouble feels —
to reduce how strong an unpleasant bodily sensation or emotional trouble feels — for example, taking medicine that relieves a headache, or hearing a kind word that relieves worry about an exam result.
Jisoo took a painkiller to relieve the ache in her lower back.
relieve + ache — physical pain as object
The doctor's calm voice relieved Tomás's fear about the surgery.
A warm bath often relieves muscle soreness after a long run.
Knowing that the test results were fine relieved Yael's anxiety completely.
文法句型
relieve + feeling (pain / stress / anxiety)
用法筆記
Object is always an unpleasant feeling or sensation — pain, stress, fear, anxiety, soreness. Not used with pleasant emotions.
常見錯誤
2. to make a difficult or problematic set of circumstances less severe or more mana
to make a difficult or problematic set of circumstances less severe or more manageable — for example, building a new road to relieve traffic jams, or a loan that relieves a family's money troubles.
The new train line helped relieve overcrowding on the morning commute.
relieve + overcrowding — abstract problem as object
Kwame hoped the loan would relieve his family's financial difficulties.
Planting more trees along the main road relieved some of the noise pollution.
Diplomatic talks relieved tensions between the two neighbouring countries.
- worsen
to make a bad situation even worse
- exacerbate
formal term for making a problem more severe
文法句型
relieve + situation (congestion / tension / shortage)
用法筆記
Object is an abstract problem or situation (congestion, tension, shortage, difficulty), not a person or a physical feeling. Distinguish from sense 1, which targets emotional or physical sensations.
常見錯誤
3. to give food, money, medical care, or other forms of assistance to people who ar
to give food, money, medical care, or other forms of assistance to people who are suffering or living in very difficult conditions — for example, a charity that sends clean water to relieve families caught in a drought.
International charities sent supplies to relieve the flood victims.
relieve + victims — people in crisis as object
The government set up temporary camps to relieve families who lost their homes.
Emergency workers arrived quickly to relieve the survivors of the earthquake.
A local food bank was opened to relieve residents living below the poverty line.
文法句型
relieve + people (victims / refugees / families)
用法筆記
Direct object is people or groups in need, not the bad situation itself. The focus is on providing tangible help rather than improving an abstract condition. Distinguish from sense 2, where the object is a problem or circumstance.
常見錯誤
4. to step in for someone who is on duty so that they can stop and go have a break
to step in for someone who is on duty so that they can stop and go have a break — for example, a security guard who comes at midnight to relieve the evening guard, or a nurse who relieves a colleague after a long shift.
Rachid relieved his colleague at the reception desk after lunch.
relieve + colleague — taking over someone's post
The night nurse arrives at 11 p.m. to relieve the evening shift worker.
A substitute teacher relieved Ms. Chen for the rest of the week.
Coast Guard crews relieve each other every twelve hours during a storm rescue.
- replace
more general; can be permanent or temporary
- take over for
phrasal verb, informal; to assume someone's role or duties
- spell
informal; to take turns working with someone, especially in demanding jobs
文法句型
relieve + person (colleague / guard / worker)
用法筆記
The person relieving and the person being relieved are both typically in the same role or job. Often used for shift work, guard duty, or any scheduled rotation where one person takes over from another.
常見錯誤
5. to attack enemy forces that have surrounded a town, city, or fort, in order to b
to attack enemy forces that have surrounded a town, city, or fort, in order to break the siege and let the trapped people go free — for example, army troops that arrive to relieve a village cut off by opposing soldiers.
Government troops relieved the fort after a three-month siege.
relieve + fort — military end of siege
The armoured division was sent to relieve the city before supplies ran out.
Naval forces relieved the coastal town blocked by enemy ships.
In 1944, allied soldiers arrived to relieve the surrounded village.
文法句型
relieve + place (town / city / fort)
用法筆記
Restricted to military or historical contexts. The object is always the place that has been surrounded, not the enemy army.
常見錯誤
6. a formal expression used to say that someone passes liquid waste from their body
a formal expression used to say that someone passes liquid waste from their body, avoiding more direct or casual terms — the phrase 'relieve oneself' is the standard form, as in asking at a hotel front desk where a guest can relieve oneself.
During the long bus ride, Walid asked the driver where he could relieve himself.
relieve oneself — reflexive euphemism for urinating
The hikers stopped behind a large rock to relieve themselves before continuing.
Kian excused himself from the dinner table to relieve himself before the speeches began.
Signs at the park entrance directed visitors to a building where they could relieve themselves.
文法句型
relieve oneself
用法筆記
The phrase 'relieve oneself' is the standard polite form. Using 'relieve' alone without a reflexive pronoun does not carry this meaning. This sense is more common in British English and formal written signs than in casual American conversation.
常見錯誤
7. to add variety or something different to a dull, repetitive situation in order t
to add variety or something different to a dull, repetitive situation in order to make it more enjoyable or interesting — for example, a short game that relieves the boredom of a long training session.
Ravindra told a humorous story to relieve the boredom of the long car trip.
relieve + boredom — dullness as object
Bright paintings on the office walls helped relieve the dull atmosphere.
The teacher used a short vocabulary game to relieve the monotony of grammar drills.
Leaving the city for a weekend relieved the same daily schedule Marco had been following.
文法句型
relieve + dullness (boredom / monotony / sameness)
用法筆記
Object is typically an abstract noun describing dullness or repetition: boredom, monotony, sameness. This sense often carries a positive meaning — the variety is welcomed as a refreshing change.
常見錯誤
8. to take money, valuables, or other possessions away from a person by theft, almo
to take money, valuables, or other possessions away from a person by theft, almost always used in the structure 'relieve someone of something' — for example, a pickpocket who relieves a tourist of their wallet on a crowded subway train.
A pickpocket relieved Tuan of his wallet during the crowded festival.
relieve someone of something — stealing pattern
The thieves relieved the museum of several valuable paintings.
Erik was relieved of his watch by someone on the overnight train.
The burglars relieved the elderly couple of their life savings.
- steal from
more direct and informal; focuses on the victim
- rob
to take property illegally, often using force or threat
文法句型
relieve + person + of + thing (steal pattern)
用法筆記
The pattern is always 'relieve someone of something' — the victim is the direct object and the stolen item follows 'of'. This is a formal or literary euphemism for stealing, often used for dramatic or ironic effect.