Question

Read the following dictionary entry:

relieve
re·lieve /rəˈlēv/
verb
to cause pain or difficulty to become less serious
to release someone from duty by taking their place
to take a burden from someone

Which definition most closely matches the meaning of the word relieving as it is used in the text? Write the correct definition, and describe how you know which meaning of relieving fits in the text.

Answer 1

I don’t have the text you’re referring to. Please paste the sentence or short passage that contains relieving.

Meanwhile, here’s how to decide which dictionary definition fits, and examples you can follow:

Definitions from your entry
- “to cause pain or difficulty to become less serious” = alleviate, ease (often used with pain, stress, worry).
- “to release someone from duty by taking their place” = replace someone on duty/shift.
- “to take a burden from someone” = remove a responsibility or worry (close in meaning to the first, but usually about responsibilities rather than physical pain).

How to pick the right one
1. Look at what comes after relieving (its object):
- If the object is pain, ache, stress, or fear → use the first definition (alleviate).
- If the object is a person’s duty, shift, or post and someone else is doing the job → use the second (release from duty).
- If the object is a burden, responsibility, worry, or load → use the third (take a burden from someone).
2. Check surrounding words for clues: medical terms (doctor, pain, soothe) point to definition 1; words like “shift,” “guard,” “post,” “take over” point to definition 2; words like “responsibility,” “worry,” “burden,” “help” point to definition 3.
3. Substitute a synonym to test meaning: try “alleviating,” “replacing,” or “lifting the burden.” See which keeps the sentence sensible.

Example answers (choose the one that matches your text)
- If the sentence was “The medicine was relieving her headache,” answer: “to cause pain or difficulty to become less serious” — because the object is a headache (pain).
- If the sentence was “He is relieving the night guard at midnight,” answer: “to release someone from duty by taking their place” — because he’s taking over the guard’s shift.
- If the sentence was “Her friends were relieving her of some responsibilities,” answer: “to take a burden from someone” — because friends remove duties/worries.

Paste the original sentence and I’ll give the exact definition and a brief explanation.