1. vt.缓解，消除，减少　 lessen
2. vt.换班，换岗　 take a duty from sb as a relief

　～ the boy's arm of pain　减轻了孩子手臂的疼痛
　～ economically　经济上减轻
　～ effectually　有效地减轻
　～ greatly　大为减轻
　～ nationally　民族地去除
　～ painlessly　无痛地除去
　～ spiritually　精神上减轻
　～ ultimately　最后解除
　～ against　在…衬托下
　～ at　因…感到宽慰
　～ by　镶在…边上
　～ sb from　使摆脱，解除
　～ sb from anxiety　消除某人的忧虑
　～ ...of　使摆脱，解除
　～ of sb's command　解除某人的指挥权
　～ sb of the burden　减轻某人的负担
　～ with　用…来衬托

　The doctor often relieve the poor.　那位医生经常救济贫民。
　He devoted himself to relieving the distressed.　他致力于救济受苦受难的人。
　We did what we could to relieve the people in the flood-stricken areas.　我们尽了最大努力救济遭受水灾地区的人民。
　The doctors did their best to relieve the patient.　医生们尽力减轻病人的痛苦。
　He thinks it is his duty to relieve the sickness.　他认为消除疾病是他的职责。
　Tears relieves her.　流泪减轻了她的痛苦。
　The soldiers were sent to relieve the besieged city.　已派了军队去援救那个被围的城市。
　They decided not to count on foreign aid to relieve the famine.　他们决定不依靠外援救灾。
　They could suggest nothing to relieve the crisis.　他们提不出办法来缓和危机。
　Rather than relieving the situation, his action aggravated it.　他的行动不仅没有缓和局势反而加剧了局势。
　His humorous remark relieved the tension in the room.　他讲的那些幽默的话缓和了室内的紧张气氛。
　The good news relieved us.　这个好消息使我们放心了。
　It would relieve my mind if some sort of understanding was reached between us.　如果我们之间能达成某种谅解，我就会宽心了。
　No words can relieve her sorrow.　什么话也不能减轻她的悲痛。
　Shout if you want to, it will relieve your feelings.　要喊你就喊吧，这样你会好受些。
　They can also relieve spasm.　它们还可以治痉挛。
　Can you give me something to relieve my headache?　你能不能给我点药把我的头痛止住?
　They are effective in relieving pain.　它们止疼很有效。
　Cool water relieves the pain of minor burns.　凉水可以减轻轻度烧伤的疼痛。
　He will relieve a sickness teacher tomorrow.　他明天要为一个生病的老师代课。
　Anxiety may be relieved by talking to a friend.　和朋友交谈可以减轻忧虑。
　They were relieved at the news.　听到这一消息，他们放心了。
　She felt relieved at the prospect.　看到这样的前景，她感到宽慰。
　The brown hills are relieved by patches of green.　褐色的小山上点缀着一块块的绿色，显得不那么单调。
　The guard will be relieved at midnight.　这卫兵要到午夜才换班。
　You will be relieved at 12.　在12点钟会有人来替换你。
　The sentry is relieved at regular intervals.　哨兵每隔一段时间就换岗。
　We were relieved to hear that she was out of danger.　听说她脱险了，我们的心才放下来。
　I was relieved to see them back.　看到他们回来我才放心。
　I was relieved to see that he seemed almost himself again.　看到他又恢复理智，我总算放心了。
　She seemed relieved that things were better.　情况好转了，她似乎放心了。
　Mother was relieved that you had come back safely.　你平安归来了，妈妈感到宽慰了。
　Now she looked relieved that she began to talk about her life in the countryside.　这时候她显得轻松了些，开始谈起她在农村的生活。

 ♣ relieve against　(v.+prep.)
　在…的映衬下　be in the reflect
　The mountain is relieved against the blue sky.　在蓝天的映衬下，这座山轮廓分明。
　The picture is relieved against the background.　这幅画有背景衬托分外醒目。
 ♣ relieve from　(v.+prep.)
1. 使从（不愉快的境况）中解脱出来 take from (sb) the worst or greatest part of (sth unpleasant)
　He relieved me from anxiety.　他解除我的忧虑。
　This medicine will help to relieve you from your pain.　这种药将帮助你解除疼痛。
　More help in the office would relieve me from some of this responsibility.　如果办公室里再添些帮手，那会使我减轻些负担。
2. 将（某人）免职 dismiss (sb) from (a position, often responsible)
　The captain was relieved from his post when his guilt was proved.　当船长被证明有罪后，他被免了职。
 ♣ relieve of　(v.+prep.)
1. 解除（某人）的（负担、困难等） take from (sb) (sth heavy to carry or hard to do)
　This relieved us of part of our luggage.　这给我们减去一部分行李的负担。
　Let me relieve you of your travelling-bag.　我来帮你拿旅行袋。
　I wanted to relieve myself of these duties as soon as possible.　我想尽快从这些责任中解脱出来。
　It will relieve them of a tremendous burden.　这将给他们解除一个巨大的负担。
　These machines would relieve the peasants of their backbreaking labour.　这些机器可以把农民从繁重的体力劳动中解放出来。
　All this was done to relieve women of household chores.　这一切都是为了把妇女从家务劳动中解放出来。
　She was glad to be relieved of this burden.　她很高兴卸掉了这个包袱。
　They are relieved of material difficulties.　他们摆脱了物质方面的困境。
　Very quickly, the patient was relieved of his pain.　很快病人就不痛了。
2. 免除（某人）的（职务、麻烦等） dismiss (sb) of (sth)
　Your coming relieved me of the bother of writing a long letter.　你来了，省去我写长信的麻烦了。
　I was relieved of my position as director.　我被免除了董事的职务。
　The captain has been relieved of his duties.　那位上尉已被解除了职务。
　The Vice Minister was relieved of office at his own request.　那位副部长在自己的请求下已被免职。
　Soon I was relieved of this extra work.　不久就给我免去了这项额外工作。
　So he asked to be relieved of the job and returned to London.　因此他要求免去这项工作，回到了伦敦。
　He was relieved of employment.　他失业了。
3. 盗取（某人）的（东西） humor to rob (sb) of (sth)
　The thief relieved him of his watch.　贼把他的表偷了。
　It did not take the thieves long to relieve the passengers of all their money.　小偷们没用多长时间就把乘客们的钱偷了个精光。
 ♣ relieve oneself　
　上厕所　pass water or empty the bowels
　The boy said he badly wanted to relieve himself.　小孩子说他想上厕所。
　Presently Hall rose and left the room to relieve himself.　没多久，霍尔站起身出去解手了。

 ♣ relieve from, relieve of
　这组短语的意思都是“解除”。其区别是：前者指解除或减轻痛苦、忧虑、危险，强调状态；后者指解脱沉重的负担、包袱等，强调对象。
 ♣ relieve, comfort, soothe
　参见comfort条。
 ♣ relieve, free, release
　参见free条。
 ♣ relieve, allay, alleviate, assuage, lighten, mitigate
　这组词都可表示“使某事变得能够忍受或不太严重”。其区别是：relieve指减轻负担、灾难、痛苦或恐惧，强调使能忍受或忘却；allay一般指减轻到确实消痛或压惊的地步，但不一定完全消除；alleviate强调暂时或部分地缓解；assuage专指平息或缓和怒气等强烈的情绪，也可指把痛苦减轻到可以忍受的程度；lighten指减轻负荷或重压，从而产生轻松的影响；mitigate指缓和痛苦等的强度，但不一定暗示减轻到可以忍受的程度。