Read letters for some relief (5)

I believe the answer is:

spell

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'some relief' is the definition.
(thesaurus)

I cannot understand how the rest of the clue works.

(Other definitions for spell that I've seen before include "something to cast" , "Give out letters" , "Indicate" , "Magic incantation" , "Deliveries" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.

Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.