Should no others join capable to alleviate the
expense. --Evelyn.
Those large bladders . . . conduce much to the
alleviating of the body [of flying birds]. --Ray.
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. To extenuate; to palliate. [R.]
He alleviates his fault by an excuse. --Johnson.
Syn: To lessen; diminish; soften; mitigate; assuage; abate;
relieve; nullify; allay.
Usage: 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.