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Eliminate vs Relieve - What's the difference?

eliminate | relieve |

In lang=en terms the difference between eliminate and relieve

is that eliminate is to kill (a person or animal) while relieve is to free (someone) from debt or legal obligations; to give legal relief to.

As verbs the difference between eliminate and relieve

is that eliminate is
To completely destroy (something) so that it no longer exists.
relieve is to ease (a person, person's thoughts etc.) from mental distress; to stop (someone) feeling anxious or worried, to alleviate the distress of.

eliminate

English

Verb

(eliminat)
  • To completely destroy (something) so that it no longer exists.
  • (slang) To kill (a person or animal).
  • (physiology) To excrete (waste products).
  • To exclude (from investigation or from further competition).
  • Bill was eliminated as a suspect when the police interviewed witnesses.
    John was eliminated as a contestant when it was found he had gained, rather than lost, weight.
  • (accounting) To record amounts in a to remove the effects of inter-company transactions. FindMyBestCPA.com - Consolidated Statements (Interco eliminations)
  • Synonyms

    * See also * abrogate * abolish

    Synonyms

    * give the chop to * give the boot to * give the sack to * give the walking papers to * vote off

    References

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    relieve

    English

    Verb

    (reliev)
  • To ease (a person, person's thoughts etc.) from mental distress; to stop (someone) feeling anxious or worried, to alleviate the distress of.
  • *
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=5 , passage=Then we relapsed into a discomfited silence, and wished we were anywhere else. But Miss Thorn relieved the situation by laughing aloud, and with such a hearty enjoyment that instead of getting angry and more mortified we began to laugh ourselves, and instantly felt better.}}
  • To ease (someone, a part of the body etc.) or give relief from physical pain or discomfort.
  • To alleviate (pain, distress, mental discomfort etc.).
  • To provide comfort or assistance to (someone in need, especially in poverty).
  • (obsolete) To lift up; to raise again.
  • (legal) To free (someone) from debt or legal obligations; to give legal relief to.
  • This shall not relieve either Party of any obligations.
  • To bring military help to (a besieged town); to lift the seige on.
  • To release (someone) from or of a difficulty, unwanted task, responsibility etc.
  • (military, job) To free (someone) from their post, task etc. by taking their place.
  • * 1819 , (Lord Byron), , III.76:
  • The henna should be deeply dyed to make / The skin relieved appear more fairly fair [...].
  • * 1927 , (Countee Cullen), From the Dark Tower :
  • The night whose sable breast relieves the stark / White stars is no less lovely being dark
  • (reflexive) To go to the toilet; to defecate or urinate.
  • Synonyms

    * (l)

    Derived terms

    * relieve oneself