{
    "term": "relieve",
    "partOfSpeech": "verb",
    "ox5000": true,
    "cefr": "b2",
    "verbForms": {
        "presentSimple": {
            "iYouWeThey": "relieve",
            "heSheIt": "relieves"
        },
        "pastSimple": "relieved",
        "pastParticiple": "relieved",
        "ingForm": "relieving"
    },
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "to remove or reduce an unpleasant feeling or pain",
            "sensetop": "relieve something",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "to relieve the symptoms of a cold"
                },
                {
                    "text": "to **relieve anxiety/guilt/stress**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Being able to tell the truth at last seemed to relieve her."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They try to relieve the symptoms of depression by drinking."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Don't resort to alcohol to relieve stress."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Take painkillers and hot drinks to relieve the symptoms."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["temporarily", "completely", "partially"],
                "verb + relieve": ["attempt to", "try to", "help (to)"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "to make a problem less serious",
            "sensetop": "relieve something",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "efforts to relieve poverty"
                },
                {
                    "text": "to relieve traffic congestion"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Aid workers called for further effort from governments to relieve the famine."
                }
            ],
            "synonyms": "alleviate",
            "collocations": {
                "adverb": ["temporarily", "completely", "partially"],
                "verb + relieve": ["attempt to", "try to", "help (to)"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "to make something less boring, especially by introducing something different",
            "sensetop": "relieve something",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "We played cards to relieve the boredom of the long wait."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The black and white pattern is relieved by tiny coloured flowers."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "to replace somebody at the end of their period of duty",
            "sensetop": "relieve somebody",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "to relieve a sentry"
                },
                {
                    "text": "You'll be relieved at six o'clock."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 5,
            "definition": "to free a town, etc. from an enemy army that has surrounded it",
            "sensetop": "relieve something",
            "examples": []
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 6,
            "definition": "a polite way of referring to going to the toilet",
            "sensetop": "relieve yourself",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "I had to relieve myself behind a bush."
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/rɪˈliːv/",
                "audio": "re/relieve/relieve__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/rɪˈliːvz/",
                "audio": "re/relieve/relieves__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/rɪˈliːvd/",
                "audio": "re/relieve/relieved__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/rɪˈliːvɪŋ/",
                "audio": "re/relieve/relieving__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/rɪˈliːv/",
                "audio": "re/relieve/relieve__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/rɪˈliːvz/",
                "audio": "re/relieve/relieves__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/rɪˈliːvd/",
                "audio": "re/relieve/relieved__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/rɪˈliːvɪŋ/",
                "audio": "re/relieve/relieving__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "Middle English: from Old French relever, from Latin relevare, from re- (expressing intensive force) + levare ‘raise’ (from levis ‘light’)."
}