relieve
- relief
‘relieve’
Relieve /rɪ^liːv/ is a verb. If something relieves an unpleasant feeling, it makes it less unpleasant.
Anxiety may be relieved by talking to a friend.
The passengers in the plane swallow to relieve the pressure on their eardrums.
If someone or something relieves you of an unpleasant feeling or difficulty, you no longer have it.
The news relieved him of some of his embarrassment.
Relieve is often used in the passive structure be relieved. If you are relieved, you feel happy because something unpleasant has stopped or has not happened.
I was relieved when Hannah finally arrived.
Be relieved is often followed by a to-infinitive.
He was relieved to find he'd suffered no more than a few scratches.
‘relief’
Relief /rɪ^liːf/ is a noun. If you feel relief, you feel glad because something unpleasant has stopped or has not happened.
I breathed a sigh of relief.
To my relief, he found the suggestion acceptable.
Relief is also money, food, or clothing that is provided for people who are very poor or hungry.
We are providing relief to vulnerable refugees, especially those who are sick.