All 5 Uses

relative
in
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
(Auto-generated)

It is just as well that we should do business with the male relatives.†
Chpt 3 *
He found, as so many more have done, that the practice is easier to attain than to get rid of, and for many years he continued to be a slave to the drug, an object of mingled horror and pity to his friends and relatives.†
Chpt 6
The last squire dragged out his existence there, living the horrible life of an aristocratic pauper; but his only son, my stepfather, seeing that he must adapt himself to the new conditions, obtained an advance from a relative, which enabled him to take a medical degree and went out to Calcutta, where, by his professional skill and his force of character, he established a large practice.†
Chpt 8
It must always be in the same relative position to the ventilator and to the rope—or so we may call it, since it was clearly never meant for a bell-pull.†
Chpt 8 *
It seems rather sad that his relatives should allow him to come out alone.†
Chpt 11

Definitions:

(1) (relative as in: the relative importance)
compared with something else (not an absolute value or not complete)
(2) (relative as in: they are relatives)
connected
in various senses, including:
- a person related by blood or marriage -- as in "The hospital won't let me visit her because I'm not a relative."
- a plant or animal related by origin or grouping -- "The closest relative of the dog is the gray wolf."
(3) (relative as in: questions relative to the topic)
related to
(4) (meaning too rare to warrant focus)
More specialized and less common senses of the word are found in philosophy, grammar, and music. Consult a comprehensive dictionary if you wish to see those. All senses have to do with relationships.