<p><strong>Verb</strong></p><ul><li>to ease or alleviate (pain, distress, anxiety, need, etc.)</li><li>to free from anxiety, fear, pain, etc.</li><li>to free from need, poverty, etc.</li><li>to bring effective aid to (a besieged town, military position, etc.)</li><li>to ease (a person) of any burden, wrong, or oppression, as by legal means</li><li>to reduce (a pressure, load, weight, etc., on a device or object under stress)</li><li>to make less tedious, unpleasant, or monotonous; break or vary the sameness of</li><li>to bring into relief or prominence; heighten the effect of</li><li>to release (one on duty) by coming as or providing a substitute or replacement</li><li>to free (a closed space, as a tank, boiler, etc.) of more than a desirable pressure or vacuum</li><li>to reduce (the pressure or vacuum in such a space) to a desirable level</li><li>Baseball: to replace (a pitcher)</li></ul><p><strong>Verb (used without object)</strong></p><ul><li>Baseball: to act as a relief pitcher</li></ul>