Emily Dickinson Lexicon

AL-LE'VI-ATE, v.t. [Low L. allevio; ad and levo, to raise, levis, light; Fr. lever; It. levare; to raise; Sp. llevar, to carry, levantar, to raise, and levante, a rising, and the eastern coasts of the Mediterranean, the east, so called from the rising of the sun, like oriental, from orior, to rise; Sax. hlifian, to be eminent. See Lift.]

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, &c.; opposed to aggravate.
2. To make less by representation; to lessen the magnitude or criminality; to extenuate; applied to moral conduct; as, alleviate an offense. [This sense of the word is rare.]