Alleviate

Alleviate
Alleviate Al*le"vi*ate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Alleviated}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Alleviating}.] [LL. alleviare, fr. L. ad + levis light. See {Alegge}, {Levity}.] 1. To lighten or lessen the force or weight of. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

Should no others join capable to alleviate the expense. --Evelyn. [1913 Webster]

Those large bladders . . . conduce much to the alleviating of the body [of flying birds]. --Ray. [1913 Webster]

2. To lighten or lessen (physical or mental troubles); to mitigate, or make easier to be endured; as, to alleviate sorrow, pain, care, etc.; -- opposed to {aggravate}. [1913 Webster]

The calamity of the want of the sense of hearing is much alleviated by giving the use of letters. --Bp. Horsley. [1913 Webster]

3. To extenuate; to palliate. [R.] [1913 Webster]

He alleviates his fault by an excuse. --Johnson. [1913 Webster]

Syn: To lessen; diminish; soften; mitigate; assuage; abate; relieve; nullify; allay.

Usage: To {Alleviate}, {Mitigate}, {Assuage}, {Allay}. These words have in common the idea of relief from some painful state; and being all figurative, they differ in their application, according to the image under which this idea is presented. Alleviate supposes a load which is lightened or taken off; as, to alleviate one's cares. Mitigate supposes something fierce which is made mild; as, to mitigate one's anguish. Assuage supposes something violent which is quieted; as, to assuage one's sorrow. Allay supposes something previously excited, but now brought down; as, to allay one's suffering or one's thirst. To alleviate the distresses of life; to mitigate the fierceness of passion or the violence of grief; to assuage angry feeling; to allay wounded sensibility. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • alleviate — [ə lē′vē āt΄] vt. alleviated, alleviating [ME alleviaten < LL alleviatus, pp. of alleviare, for L allevare < ad , to + levis, LIGHT2] 1. to make less hard to bear; lighten or relieve (pain, suffering, etc.) 2. to reduce or decrease [to… …   English World dictionary

  • alleviate — I verb abate, adievare, allay, appease, assuage, attenuate, blunt, calm, check, commute, compose, console, curb, dampen, diminish, disburden, disencumber, divert, dulcify, dull, ease, ease the burden, extenuate, free, help, hush, lessen, lighten …   Law dictionary

  • alleviate — (v.) late 15c., from M.Fr. allevier or directly from L.L. alleviatus, pp. of alleviare to lighten, from L. ad to (see AD (Cf. ad )) + levis light in weight (see LEVER (Cf. lever)). Related: Alleviated; alleviating …   Etymology dictionary

  • alleviate — *relieve, lighten, assuage, mitigate, allay Analogous words: *moderate, temper: lessen, reduce, diminish, *decrease: remedy, *cure Antonyms: aggravate Contrasted words: intensify, heighten: *provoke, excite, stimulate: arouse, awaken, rouse, * …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • alleviate — [v] relieve; lessen allay, assuage, ease, lighten, mitigate, mollify, pacify, pour oil on*, soft pedal*, take the bite out*, take the edge off*, take the sting out*; concepts 7,22,110,236,247 Ant. aggravate, heighten, increase, intensify, magnify …   New thesaurus

  • alleviate — ► VERB ▪ make (pain or difficulty) less severe. DERIVATIVES alleviation noun alleviator noun. ORIGIN Latin alleviare lighten …   English terms dictionary

  • alleviate — verb ADVERB ▪ considerably, greatly, significantly (esp. BrE) ▪ These problems have been greatly alleviated by the passing of the new Act. ▪ partially, partly, somewhat …   Collocations dictionary

  • alleviate — verb use ice to alleviate the swelling Syn: reduce, ease, relieve, take the edge off, deaden, dull, diminish, lessen, weaken, lighten, attenuate, mitigate, allay, assuage, palliate, damp, soothe, help, soften …   Thesaurus of popular words

  • alleviate — UK [əˈliːvɪeɪt] / US [əˈlɪvɪˌeɪt] verb [transitive] Word forms alleviate : present tense I/you/we/they alleviate he/she/it alleviates present participle alleviating past tense alleviated past participle alleviated formal to make something less… …   English dictionary

  • alleviate — al|le|vi|ate [əˈli:vieıt] v [T] [Date: 1500 1600; : Late Latin; Origin: , past participle of alleviare, from Latin ad to + levis light ] to make something less painful or difficult to deal with alleviate the problem/situation/suffering etc ▪ a… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

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