>Hi Dragan,
>
>To alleviate is, at least in one definition, not consulting the dictionary, 'to lighten'.
>
>The more common word would be 'to elevate' (at least in the sense you write).
>
>English is such a poor language when you get right down to it. Almost anything can be taken at least 2 ways, usually more.
>

That's it - I took this from Italian or Latin, where I thought it meant "lift" or "get high", akin to "levitate". I'm probably getting lost between the similar meanings of the same word in different languages. It's not the English that confuses me, it's Latin in English.