relief

Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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See also: Relief, reliéf, and reliëf

English[edit]

English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /ɹɪˈliːf/
  • Audio (US)(file)
  • Rhymes: -iːf

Etymology 1[edit]

From Old French relief (“assistance”), from Old French relever (“to relieve”), from Latin relevare (“to raise up, make light”). See also relieve.

Noun[edit]

relief (countable and uncountable, plural reliefs)

  1. The removal of stress or discomfort.
    I sighed with relief when I found out that my daughter hadn't got lost, but was waiting for me at home.
  2. The feeling associated with the removal of stress or discomfort.
    • 1907, Harold Bindloss, chapter 20, in The Dust of Conflict‎[1]:
      Tony's face expressed relief, and Nettie sat silent for a moment until the vicar said “It was a generous impulse, but it may have been a momentary one, […] .”
    • 2020 April 8, Philip Haigh, “Out of the current crisis we could see meaningful changes”, in Rail, page 56:
      DfT's action was greeted with great relief in many quarters.
  3. Release from a post or duty, as when replaced by another.
  4. The person who takes over a shift for another.
    Officer Schmidt can finally go home because his relief has arrived.
    • 1963 February, “Motive Power Miscellany: London Midland Region”, in Modern Railways, page 136:
      At Leeds a relief crew was waiting—but without a relief locomotive; after some discussion, the new men offered to take on the A3. [...].
  5. Aid or assistance offered in time of need.
  6. (law) Court-ordered compensation, aid, or protection, a redress.
  7. A lowering of a tax through special provisions; tax relief.
  8. A certain fine or composition paid by the heir of a tenant upon the death of the ancestor.
Synonyms[edit]
Derived terms[edit]
Translations[edit]
release from a post or duty, as when replaced by another
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Etymology 2[edit]

From Italian rilievo, from rilevare (“to raise”), from Latin relevō (“to raise”).

Noun[edit]

relief (countable and uncountable, plural reliefs)

The relief of Diana at the Amalienburg, in Munich (Germany) (sense 1)
Relief with two putti and with a cartouche, above a door from Paris (sense 1)
  1. A type of sculpture or other artwork in which shapes or figures protrude from a flat background.
  2. The apparent difference in elevation in the surface of a painting or drawing made noticeable by a variation in light or color.
  3. The difference of elevations on a surface.
    the relief on that part of the Earth's surface
    • 1947 January and February, “A Winter's Day on the Tyneside”, in Railway Magazine, page 29, photo caption:
      The approach to Newcastle (Central) Station from the north after a heavy snowfall. The complicated track layout is thrown into clear relief by the snow [referring to dark rails poking through the snow]
  4. (heraldry) The supposed projection of a charge from the surface of a field, indicated by shading on the sinister and lower sides.
Synonyms[edit]
Derived terms[edit]
Translations[edit]

Adjective[edit]

relief (comparative more relief, superlative most relief)

  1. (of a surface) Characterized by surface inequalities.
  2. Of or used in letterpress.

Anagrams[edit]

French[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Inherited from Old French, from relever.

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

relief m (plural reliefs)

  1. projection, relief
  2. (geography, mineralogy) relief, surface elevation
  3. (figuratively) contrast, definition, offset (against something else)
    mettre en relief ― (please add an English translation of this usage example)
  4. (sculpture) relief

Derived terms[edit]

Descendants[edit]

  • → Romanian: relief
  • → Turkish: rölyef

Further reading[edit]

Polish[edit]

Polish Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia pl

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from French relief, from Old French relief, from relever, from Latin relevare.

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

relief m inan

  1. (sculpture) relief

Declension[edit]

Declension of relief
singular plural
nominative relief reliefy
genitive reliefu reliefów
dative reliefowi reliefom
accusative relief reliefy
instrumental reliefem reliefami
locative reliefie reliefach
vocative reliefie reliefy

Further reading[edit]

  • relief in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
  • relief in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Romanian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from French relief.

Noun[edit]

relief n (plural reliefuri)

  1. relief (difference of elevations on the Earth's surface)

Related terms[edit]

Swedish[edit]

Noun[edit]

relief c

  1. a relief (type of artwork)

Declension[edit]

Declension of relief 
Singular Plural
Indefinite Definite Indefinite Definite
Nominative relief reliefen reliefer relieferna
Genitive reliefs reliefens reliefers reliefernas

Derived terms[edit]

References[edit]

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