different between relieve vs lessen
relieve
English
Etymology
From Old French relever, specifically from the conjugated forms such as (jeo) relieve (“I lift up”), and its source, Latin relevo (“to lift up, lighten, relieve, alleviate”), combined form of re- (“back”) + levo (“to lift”). Compare levant, levity, etc.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /???li?v/
- Rhymes: -i?v
Verb
relieve (third-person singular simple present relieves, present participle relieving, simple past and past participle relieved)
- (transitive) To ease (a person, person's thoughts etc.) from mental distress; to stop (someone) feeling anxious or worried, to alleviate the distress of. [from 14th c.]
- (transitive) To ease (someone, a part of the body etc.) or give relief from physical pain or discomfort. [from 14th c.]
- (transitive) To alleviate (pain, distress, mental discomfort etc.). [from 14th c.]
- (transitive) To provide comfort or assistance to (someone in need, especially in poverty). [from 14th c.]
- (obsolete) To lift up; to raise again. [15th-17th c.]
- (now rare) To raise (someone) out of danger or from (a specified difficulty etc.). [from 15th c.]
- (law) To free (someone) from debt or legal obligations; to give legal relief to. [from 15th c.]
- This shall not relieve either Party of any obligations.
- To bring military help to (a besieged town); to lift the siege on. [from 16th c.]
- To release (someone) from or of a difficulty, unwanted task, responsibility etc. [from 16th c.]
- (military, job) To free (someone) from their post, task etc. by taking their place. [from 16th c.]
- (now rare) To make (something) stand out; to make prominent, bring into relief. [from 18th c.]
- 1819, Lord Byron, Don Juan, III.76:
- The henna should be deeply dyed to make / The skin relieved appear more fairly fair […]
- 1927, Countee Cullen, From the Dark Tower:
- The night whose sable breast relieves the stark / White stars is no less lovely being dark
- 1819, Lord Byron, Don Juan, III.76:
- (reflexive) To go to the toilet; to defecate or urinate. [from 20th c.]
Synonyms
- (to alleviate pain, ease): liss
Derived terms
- relieve oneself
Related terms
Translations
Further reading
- relieve in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
- relieve in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
Spanish
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /re?ljebe/, [re?lje.??e]
Noun
relieve m (plural relieves)
- relief (protrusion)
Derived terms
Further reading
- “relieve” in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014.
relieve From the web:
- what relieves heartburn
- what relieves constipation
- what relieves bloating
- what relieves gas
- what relieves sinus pressure
- what relieves nausea
- what relieves stress
- what relieves headaches
lessen
English
Etymology
From Middle English lessenen, lasnen, equivalent to less +? -en (verbal suffix).
Pronunciation
- enPR: l??s?n, IPA(key): /?l?s?n/
- Rhymes: -?s?n
- Homophone: lesson
Verb
lessen (third-person singular simple present lessens, present participle lessening, simple past and past participle lessened)
- (transitive) To make less; to diminish; to reduce.
- a. 1686, Benjamin Calamy, a sermon
- Charity […] shall lessen his punishment.
- December 6, 1709, Francis Atterbury, a sermon preach'd before the sons of the clergy at their anniversary-meeting in the Church of St. Paul
- St. Paul chose to magnify his office when ill men conspired to lessen it.
- a. 1686, Benjamin Calamy, a sermon
- (intransitive) To become less.
Translations
Conjunction
lessen
- (nonstandard, dialect) unless.
Anagrams
- Elsens, elsens, lenses, sensel
Dutch
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /?l?s?(n)/
- Rhymes: -?s?n
Etymology 1
From Middle Dutch lesschen, from a merger of two Old Dutch [Term?] verbs:
- *leskan, from Proto-Germanic *leskan?; class 5 strong, intransitive.
- lesken, from Proto-Germanic *laskijan?; class 1 weak, causative of the first verb.
Verb
lessen
- (transitive) to quench (thirst)
Inflection
Derived terms
- blussen
Etymology 2
From les +? -en.
Verb
lessen
- (intransitive) to take a lesson (usually a driving lesson)
Inflection
Etymology 3
See the etymology of the main entry.
Noun
lessen
- Plural form of les
Hungarian
Etymology
les +? -jen
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): [?l????n]
- Hyphenation: les?sen
Verb
lessen
- third-person singular subjunctive present indefinite of les
Swedish
Adjective
lessen
- Alternative spelling of ledsen
Anagrams
- selens
lessen From the web:
- what lessens the effect of alcohol
- what lessen means
- what lessens the effects of covid
- what lessens the effects of xanax
- what lessens human dignity
- what lessens swelling
- what lessens milk supply
- what lessens hot flashes
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