relief
6 ENTRIES FOUND:
plural
reliefs
plural
reliefs
Britannica Dictionary definition of RELIEF
1
:
a pleasant and relaxed feeling that someone has when something unpleasant stops or does not happen
[noncount]
-
I felt such a sense of relief after I finished my thesis.
-
He expressed relief that the crisis was finally over.
-
Much to everyone's relief, the airplane took off without any problems.
-
She breathed a sigh of relief. [=she no longer felt tension, worry, fear, etc.]
[singular]
-
What a relief it is to be back home.
2
[noncount]
:
the removal or reducing of something that is painful or unpleasant
-
I want relief from my headaches. [=I want my headaches to stop]
-
pain relief
-
Exercise is an excellent source of stress relief.
-
Both candidates promised tax relief for middle-class families.
3
[noncount]
a
:
things (such as food, money, or medicine) that are given to help people who are victims of a war, earthquake, flood, etc.
-
disaster/famine relief
-
Countries from around the world have been sending relief to the flood victims.
-
Relief workers [=people whose job it is to provide aid] delivered medical supplies.
-
We donated to the relief effort for the hurricane victims.
b
chiefly US, old-fashioned
:
money that is given by the government to poor people
:
welfare
-
My father lost his job and we had to go on relief.
4
[noncount]
:
a person or group that replaces another person or group that needs rest or has finished a period of work
— often used before another noun
-
30,000 troops will be sent abroad as relief for the deployed soldiers.
-
The relief driver took over after the midway point of the race.
-
a relief crew
5
:
something that is enjoyable and that replaces for a short time something that is boring, unpleasant, or difficult
[singular]
-
Just one day of sunshine would be a welcome relief from the rainy weather we've been having lately.
[noncount]
-
His character provides a little comic relief in what is otherwise a very serious and dramatic movie.
6
a
[noncount]
:
a way of decorating wood, stone, metal, etc., with designs that stick out above the surface
-
Each gold coin depicts the queen's head in relief on the front.
b
[count]
:
a work of art with designs that stick out above the surface
—
see also bas-relief
-
ancient marble reliefs
7
[noncount]
:
a situation in which something is more noticeable when it is compared to something else
-
The trees stood in stark relief against the sky.
-
Her political activism throws the apathy of others into sharp relief. [=makes the apathy of others very noticeable]
