ALLEVIATE

ALLE'VIATE, verb transitive [Low Latin allevio; ad and levo, to raise, levis, light.]1. To make light; but always in a figurative sense, as it is not applied to material objects. To remove in part; to lessen, mitigate, or make easier to be endured; applied to evils; as, to alleviate sorrow, pain, care, punishment, a burden, etc.; opposed to aggravate.2. To make less by representation; to lessen the magnitude or criminality; to extenuate; applied to moral conduct; as, to alleviate an offense. [This sense of the word is rare.]

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alleviate. Alleviate, v.t. to ease, lessen, allay; used of evils

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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. 1. To lighten or lessen the force or weight of.
Should no others join capable to alleviate the expense. Evelyn. Those large bladders . . . conduce much to the alleviating of the body . Ray. 2. 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.
The calamity of the want of the sense of hearing is much alleviated by giving the use of letters. Bp. Horsley. 3. 3. To extenuate; to palliate.
He alleviates his fault by an excuse. Johnson. Syn. — To lessen; diminish; soften; mitigate; assuage; abate; relieve; nullify; allay. — 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.