relief map
1164
relief. | Much to my relief/To my great relief, her injuries were only slight. | The funny scenes in Shakespeare provide a little light relief. (=a pleasant and amusing change) 2 [U] help for people in trouble: The government sent relief (=money, food, clothes) to the people who lost their homes in the flood. | They've started a relief fund for the refugees. 3 [U] BrE || benefit AmE — a part of one's income on which one does not have to pay tax for some special reason: He gets tax relief because he supports his old mother. 4 [U] AmE money given by the government to help people who are poor, old, unemployed etc 5 [C+sing./pl. v] a person or group taking from another the responsibility for a duty: The relief for the military guard is/are expected soon. | a relief driver | They had to provide a relief bus because there were so many passengers. | The Yankees are bringing in their relief pitcher. 6 [U+of] the act of driving away an enemy: the relief of the city 7 [U] tech a legal way of dealing with a problem: to seek relief by taking the matter to court 8 [C;U] (a shape or) decoration cut so that it sticks out above the rest of the surface it is on, as on a coin: a carving in high/low relief (=sticking out a long way/a little) | (fig.) black trees standing out in bold/sharp relief (=seeming to stick out) against the snow ➔ compare BAS-RELIEF, HIGH RELIEF
re'lief map n a map with the mountains and high parts shown differently from the low parts, especially by being printed in a different colour
re'lief road n especially BrE a road made in order to take away heavy traffic from another road
re-lieve /rɪ'li:v/ v [T] 1 to lessen (pain, anxiety, or trouble): a drug that relieves headaches 2 to take a duty from (someone) as a RELIEF: The guard will be relieved at midnight. 3 to give variety to; make more interesting: I went for a walk to relieve the boredom of the day. 4 to drive away the enemy from (a town, fort etc) 5 relieve oneself fml euph to URINATE or empty the bowels 6 relieve one's feelings to cry, shout etc, in order to make oneself feel better: He relieved his feelings by throwing his boots at the cat.
relieve sbdy. of sthg. phr v [T] 1 to free (someone) of (something heavy to carry or hard to do): Let me relieve you of that heavy parcel/of some of the housework. | (humor) A thief relieved me of my watch. (=stole it) 2 [often pass.] euph to dismiss from (a position): He was relieved of his employment/his duties.
re-lieved /rɪ'li:vd/ adj no longer worried; feeling relief: Your mother will be very relieved (at the news). | She had a relieved look on her face. | [F+to-v/that] I was relieved (to hear) that they were safe.
re-li-gion /rɪ'lɪdʒən/ n 1 [U] belief in the life of the spirit and usually in one or more gods, especially the belief that it/they made the world and can control it 2 [C] a particular system of this belief and the worship, behaviour etc connected with it: the Christian religion | Islam and Buddhism are two of the great religions of the world. | (fig.) Music is a religion with John; he makes a religion of it.
re-li-gi-ose /rɪ'lɪdʒiəs/ adj (of a person) unreasonably or too noticeably religious —osity /ˌrɪlɪdʒi'ɒsɪti||'ɑ:s-/ n [U]
re-li-gious /rɪ'lɪdʒəs/ adj 1 of religion: a religious service | religious liberty (=freedom to choose one's religion) 2 (of a person or their behaviour) obeying the rules of a religion very carefully; PIOUS: a very religious man ➔ opposite IRRELIGIOUS 3 [A] performing duties very carefully, as a matter of conscience: She washes the floor with religious care every morning.
religious edu'cation abbrev. RE also re,ligious in'struction abbrev. RI n [U] the study of religion at school. In Britain, all children receive some religious education at school. In the US, state schools are not allowed to teach religion on the principle of the SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE.
re-li-gious-ly /rɪ'lɪdʒəsli/ adv in a careful and thorough way: They followed the instructions quite religiously.
religious ob'servance n 1 [U] the practice of performing the formal act of one's religion 2 [C] a formal act of religion
religious 'right n (sing.) people who belong to Christian churches and who support CONSERVATIVE political ideas
CULTURAL NOTE The religious right in the US has a strong influence on politics, especially in the Republican Party. They strongly support traditional social and moral values,
and are often very PATRIOTIC. They are against ABORTION and rights for HOMOSEXUALS, and support ideas such as having an official period of prayer in public schools. They also want the government to give less support to unmarried people who have children, and say that this would encourage people to get married and support their children themselves. The main political group of the religious right is the CHRISTIAN COALITION.
religious 'tolerance n [U] the idea that other people have a right to practise a religion which is not one's own
re-line /ˌri:'lain/ v [T] to put a new LINING (=inside covering) into: She relined the old coat.
re-lin-quish /rɪ'lɪŋkwɪʃ/ v [T(to)] fml to give up (power, position, a claim etc): to relinquish power | He relinquished his claim to the land/his hold on my arm. | She relinquished all control over the family business to her daughter.
re-li-qua-ry /'relikwəri||-kweri/ n a container for religious RELICS
rel-ish¹ /'reliʃ/ n 1 [S;U (for)] great enjoyment, especially of food; pleasure and satisfaction: He drank up the wine with relish. 2 [C;U] (a) substance eaten with a meal, such as PICKLES or SAUCE, to add taste and interest
relish² v [T] to enjoy; be pleased and satisfied with: He didn't relish the prospect of having to explain his behaviour. || [+v-ing] Hilary won't relish having to wash all those dishes.
re-live /ri:'liv/ v [T] to experience again, especially in the imagination: She relived her school days in conversation with an old friend.
re-load /ri:'ləud/ v [I;T] to load (a gun) again
re-lo-cate /ˌri:ləu'keit||ˌri:'ləukeit/ v [I;T] to move to or establish in a new place: The factory has been relocated into the Bristol area. | We're relocating into the Bristol area.
-cation /ˌriləu'keiʃən/ n [U]
re-luc-tant /rɪ'lʌktənt/ adj unwilling, and therefore perhaps slow to act: reluctant helpers | He gave a reluctant promise. || [F+to-v] They were very reluctant to help. (=but probably did help) ➔-ly adv: She reluctantly accepted the money. -tance n [S;U(+to-v)] He agreed, but with great reluctance/with a certain reluctance.
re-ly /rɪ'laɪ/ v
rely on/upon sbdy./sthg. phr v [T] 1 to trust (especially that something will happen or someone will do something); have confidence in: You can't rely on the weather. (=it may well be bad) | I think I can come, but don't rely on it. | We're relying on your discretion. | [+v-ing] Don't rely on going to India. (=perhaps you won't) | [+obj+v-ing] Rely on my/me doing it. | Don't rely on the bank lending you the money. (=perhaps they won't) | [+obj+to-v] You can rely on me to help you. 2 [(for)] to be materially supported by; depend on: They have to rely on the river for their water.
REM /rem/ n [U] 1 abbrev. for RAPID EYE MOVEMENT 2 a US ROCK GROUP, popular since the 1980s. Their ALBUMS include Automatic for the People and Monster.
re-main /ri'mein/ v [not usually in progressive forms] 1 [I] rather fml to stay or be left behind after others have gone, been lost etc: She remained at home to look after the children when her husband went out. | Little of the original architecture remains. | The only remaining question is whether or not we can raise the money. | [+to-v] Several things remain to be done. | It only remains for me to say that ... (=All that is left for me to say is ...) | It sounds a good idea, but it remains to be seen (=we shall know later on) whether it will succeed. 2 [(+adv/prep;L)] to continue to be (in an unchanged state): He remained a prisoner for the rest of his life. | The situation remains unchanged. | Despite the danger, she remained calm/she remained in complete control. | I'm sorry you're tired, but the fact remains (=in spite of that) that the job has to be done, so hurry up! ➔ see STAY (USAGE)
re-main·der¹ /rɪ'meɪndər/ n [(the) S+sing./pl. v] 1 what is left over; the rest: The remainder of the food will do for tomorrow. | Ten people in our class are Arabs and the remainder are Germans. 2 in DIVISION, the number undivided that is smaller than the DIVISOR: Fifteen divided by six equals two with a remainder of three.
remainder² v [T usually pass.] to sell (especially books) chea so as to get rid of them quickly