- relief
- relief re‧lief [rɪˈliːf] noun1. [uncountable] when a bad situation is reduced or stops for a time:
• Any sign of relief from price pressures will be welcome news for the economy.
2. money, food, clothes etc given to people who are poor or hungry:• a relief fund for refugees
3. FINANCE money given by the government to people who are poor, hungry, unemployed etc:• In the future, the system simply won't provide enough relief for low-income people.
• rising relief spending as unemployment spreads
• Farmers will receive federal relief for crops damaged by drought.
4. money or special tax arrangements etc given to countries or companies that owe money or have other problems:• The committee will petition the bankruptcy court for appropriate relief.
ˈdebt reˌlief FINANCEwhen poor countries no longer have to pay back loans or interest on loans from foreign governments and banks:• Commonwealth finance ministers backed a debt relief plan for the world's poorest nations.
ˌdouble-income ˈtax reˌlief TAXan arrangement between two countries so that someone does not pay tax twice, for example in the country where they work and in the country where they normally liveˈmortgage reˌlief TAXan amount of income that is not taxed because the taxpayer has a loan to buy a house:• Mortgage relief on interest payments to banks is worth some 15% of the gross monthly payments.
— compare MIRASˈrate reˌlief TAXa lower rate of income tax paid for a limited period of time by companies with financial problems:• The company will need additional financing and rate relief.
ˈtaper reˌlief TAXa form of tax relief in Britain on the profit investors make buying and selling shares. The amount of tax is reduced depending on how long you have owned the share, to allow for the effects of inflationˈtax reˌlief TAXthe right not to have to pay tax on part of a sum of money that is earned or received. Sometimes the tax is paid first, and then given back by the authorities:• The bill would give tax relief to middle-income individuals.
• Borrowers can claim tax relief on their pension contributions.
5. [countable] HUMAN RESOURCES a person or group of people that does the work of another one after they have finished or if they cannot work at a particular time:• I've arranged for a relief to cover for me while I'm away.
• His father and brother fill in as relief drivers.
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relief UK US /rɪˈliːf/ noun [U]► FINANCE financial help that is given to people, companies, or countries that cannot pay their taxes or debts: »All of the more than 3 million people who file income taxes in Virginia will be eligible for the $100 relief when they file their returns for the last fiscal year.
»Congress must reach consensus quickly on the issue of economic relief for the airline industry.
»Satellite-television subscribers should get relief from some of the taxes on their monthly bills under new legislation.
give/offer/provide relief (to sb) »Tax-cut proposals could offer relief to homeowners
get/obtain relief (from sth) »Because of the Fed's move to cut interest rates, people whose mortgages are adjusting may get some relief.
»relief packages/measures
► US GOVERNMENT, FINANCE financial help that the government gives to people who are poor, unemployed, etc.: grant/give/provide relief (to sb) »Lawmakers are being lobbied by pressure groups, urging them to grant additional relief to seniors.
► SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY money, food, and clothing that is sent to people who are in a difficult situation because of a war, flood, very bad storm, etc.: »How can we be sure that relief will help those who are most in need?
»In the last five days we have undertaken a massive relief effort to bring water, medicine, and food to the refugees.
»disaster/emergency/flood relief
»a relief agency/organization/worker
→ See also DEBT RELIEF(Cf. ↑debt relief), DOUBLE TAXATION RELIEF(Cf. ↑double taxation relief), MORTGAGE RELIEF(Cf. ↑mortgage relief), RATE RELIEF(Cf. ↑rate relief), TAX RELIEF(Cf. ↑tax relief)
Financial and business terms. 2012.
