Literary notes about alleviate (AI summary)
Across literature, “alleviate” is employed as a powerful term to suggest the lessening of burdens, suffering, or distress in both literal and metaphorical contexts. Historical narratives use it to underscore attempts to reduce public or societal hardships, as when measures are taken "to display rather than to alleviate the public distress" [1] or to "alleviate the sufferings" of oppressed populations [2, 3]. In novels, the word frequently appears in more personal or emotional settings, such as efforts "to alleviate his intense thirst" [4] or to ease a character’s internal turmoil [5, 6]. Even in debates on political and societal reforms, writers evoke “alleviate” to question the efficacy of measures meant to mitigate broader miseries, thereby revealing both hope and limitation in the act of amelioration [7, 8].
- The law, though it may merit some praise, served rather to display than to alleviate the public distress.
— from The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon - His authority contributed, however, to alleviate the sufferings which he pitied and abhorred.
— from The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon - The vigilance of government appears not to have neglected any of the precautions which might alleviate the sense of so dreadful a calamity.
— from The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon - All that could be done was to fan him with paper, and frequently to give him lemonade to alleviate his intense thirst.
— from The Life of Horatio, Lord Nelson by Robert Southey - I replied, that nothing ailed me save anxiety of mind, which I hoped soon to alleviate.
— from Jane Eyre: An Autobiography by Charlotte Brontë - May seemed to be aware of his disappointment, but without knowing how to alleviate it; and they stood up and walked silently home.
— from The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton - The same reason which contributes to alleviate the guilt, must have tended to abate the vigor, of their persecutions.
— from The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon - The conduct of Ravenswood did not alleviate his apprehensions.
— from The Bride of Lammermoor by Walter Scott
