Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Relieve \Re*lieve"\ (r?-l?v"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Relieved}
   (-l?vd"); p. pr. & vb. n. {Relieving}.] [OE. releven, F.
   relever to raise again, discharge, relieve, fr. L. relevare
   to lift up, raise, make light, relieve; pref. re- re- +
   levare to raise, fr. levis light. See {Levity}, and cf.
   {Relevant}, {Relief}.]
   1. To lift up; to raise again, as one who has fallen; to
      cause to rise. [Obs.] --Piers Plowman.

   2. To cause to seem to rise; to put in relief; to give
      prominence or conspicuousness to; to set off by contrast.

            Her tall figure relieved against the blue sky;
            seemed almost of supernatural height. --Sir W.
                                                  Scott.

   3. To raise up something in; to introduce a contrast or
      variety into; to remove the monotony or sameness of.

            The poet must . . . sometimes relieve the subject
            with a moral reflection.              --Addison.

   4. To raise or remove, as anything which depresses, weighs
      down, or crushes; to render less burdensome or afflicting;
      to allevate; to-abate; to mitigate; to lessen; as, to
      relieve pain; to relieve the wants of the poor.

   5. To free, wholly or partly, from any burden, trial, evil,
      distress, or the like; to give ease, comfort, or
      consolation to; to give aid, help, or succor to; to
      support, strengthen, or deliver; as, to relieve a besieged
      town.

            Now lend assistance and relieve the poor. --Dryden.

   6. To release from a post, station, or duty; to put another
      in place of, or to take the place of, in the bearing of
      any burden, or discharge of any duty.

            Who hath relieved you?                --Shak.

   7. To ease of any imposition, burden, wrong, or oppression,
      by judicial or legislative interposition, as by the
      removal of a grievance, by indemnification for losses, or
      the like; to right.

   Syn: To alleviate; assuage; succor; assist; aid; help;
        support; substain; ease; mitigate; lighten; diminish;
        remove; free; remedy; redress; indemnify.

Source : WordNet®

relieve
     v 1: provide physical relief, as from pain; "This pill will
          relieve your headaches" [syn: {alleviate}, {palliate}, {assuage}]
     2: free someone temporarily from his or her obligations [syn: {take
        over}]
     3: grant relief or an exemption from a rule or requirement to;
        "She exempted me from the exam" [syn: {exempt}, {free}]
        [ant: {enforce}]
     4: lessen the intensity of or calm; "The news eased my
        conscience"; "still the fears" [syn: {still}, {allay}, {ease}]
     5: save from ruin, destruction, or harm [syn: {salvage}, {salve},
         {save}]
     6: relieve oneself of troubling information [syn: {unbosom}]
     7: alleviate or remove; "relieve the pressure and the stress"
     8: provide relief for; "remedy his illness" [syn: {remedy}]
     9: free from a burden, evil, or distress
     10: take by stealing; "The thief relieved me of $100"
     11: grant exemption or release to; "Please excuse me from this
         class" [syn: {excuse}, {let off}, {exempt}]