Wordwyrt

relieve

/ɹɪˈliv/rih-LEEV
/ɹɪˈliv/rih-LEEV

Meaningto raise again; to lighten

Common meaning: to ease distress

Other meanings: to take over a duty from

‘again’ + ‘light in weight’ → relieve

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Latin levis; levō ‘light in weight; to raise’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Lewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), entry levis, p. 1054 · dictionary scan

Roots

Related words

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