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Q&A What does Etymonline mean by 'to raise (someone) out of trouble'?

I have never heard of "to raise (someone) out of trouble"! What does this mean? relieve (v.) [on Etymonline] late 14c., releven, "alleviate (pain, etc.) wholly or partly, mitigate; afford comfo...

1 answer  ·  posted 1y ago by PSTH‭  ·  last activity 1y ago by Jirka Hanika‭

Question etymology
#1: Initial revision by user avatar PSTH‭ · 2022-08-21T20:22:54Z (over 1 year ago)
What does Etymonline mean by 'to raise (someone) out of trouble'?
I have never heard of "**to raise (someone) out of trouble**"! What does this mean?

>### relieve (v.) [[on Etymonline]](https://www.etymonline.com/word/relieve#etymonline_v_10379 "Origin and meaning of relieve")
>
>late 14c., *releven*, "alleviate (pain, etc.) wholly or partly, mitigate; afford comfort; allow respite; diminish the pressure of," also "give alms to, provide for;" also figuratively, "take heart, cheer up;"     
from Old French *relever* "to raise, relieve" (11c.)    
 and directly from Latin *relevare* "to raise, alleviate, lift up, free from a burden,"    
from *re-*, here perhaps an intensive prefix (see [re-](https://www.etymonline.com/word/re-?ref=etymonline_crossreference "Etymology, meaning and definition of re- ")),       
\+ *levare* "to lift up, lighten," from *levis* "not heavy" (from PIE root [\*legwh-](https://www.etymonline.com/word/*legwh-?ref=etymonline_crossreference "Etymology, meaning and definition of *legwh- ") "not heavy, having little weight").
>
>**The notion is "to raise (someone) out of trouble." [my emboldening]** From c. 1400 as "advance to the rescue in battle, bring help to a besieged place;" also "return from battle; recall (troops)." Meaning "release from duty" is from early 15c. Related: relieved; relieving.

I can surmise merely one meaning  —  medical professionals lifting or raising a patient. But I have no clue if medical professionals — if they existed in the 14th century — raised patients like in the pictures below!

![](https://images.jems.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/stoy-3.jpg)

![](https://images.jems.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/41047-file-scaled.jpeg)

![](https://www.nextdayaccess.com/wp-content/uploads/Next-Day-Access-October-Blog-17-Patient-Lifts-Create-a-Safer-Environment.jpg)

[Top picture](https://www.jems.com/patient-care/patient-lifting-and-moving-whose-job-is-it/). [Middle](https://www.jems.com/operations/fresh-perspectives-on-safer-patient-lifting-and-moving/). [Bottom](https://www.nextdayaccess.com/patient-lifts-can-create-a-safer-environment/)