Ease or alleviate (7)
I believe the answer is:
relieve
This clue is a double definition.
'ease' is the first definition.
(I know that ease can be written as relieve)
'alleviate' is the second definition.
(I know that alleviate can be written as relieve)
(Other definitions for relieve that I've seen before include "Comfort" , "Alleviate, assuage" , "Lighten a burden or raise a seige" , "Alleviate pain or stress" , "Free someone from duty by taking his place" .)