The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

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.
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   2. To cause to seem to rise; to put in relief; to give
      prominence or conspicuousness to; to set off by contrast.
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            Her tall figure relieved against the blue sky;
            seemed almost of supernatural height. --Sir W.
                                                  Scott.
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   3. To raise up something in; to introduce a contrast or
      variety into; to remove the monotony or sameness of.
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            The poet must . . . sometimes relieve the subject
            with a moral reflection.              --Addison.
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   4. To raise or remove, as anything which depresses, weighs
      down, or crushes; to render less burdensome or afflicting;
      to alleviate; to abate; to mitigate; to lessen; as, to
      relieve pain; to relieve the wants of the poor.
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   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.
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            Now lend assistance and relieve the poor. --Dryden.
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   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.
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            Who hath relieved you?                --Shak.
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   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.
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   Syn: To alleviate; assuage; succor; assist; aid; help;
        support; substain; ease; mitigate; lighten; diminish;
        remove; free; remedy; redress; indemnify.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Relieving \Re*liev"ing\, a.
   Serving or tending to relieve.
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   Relieving arch (Arch.), a discharging arch. See under
      Discharge, v. t.

   Relieving tackle. (Naut.)
   (a) A temporary tackle attached to the tiller of a vessel
       during gales or an action, in case of accident to the
       tiller ropes.
   (b) A strong tackle from a wharf to a careened vessel, to
       prevent her from going over entirely, and to assist in
       righting her. --Totten. --Craig.
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