alleviate

  • 1Alleviate — 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… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 2alleviate — [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

  • 3alleviate — 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

  • 4alleviate — (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

  • 5alleviate — *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

  • 6alleviate — [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

  • 7alleviate — ► VERB ▪ make (pain or difficulty) less severe. DERIVATIVES alleviation noun alleviator noun. ORIGIN Latin alleviare lighten …

    English terms dictionary

  • 8alleviate — 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

  • 9alleviate — 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

  • 10alleviate — 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