encumber — en·cum·ber also in·cum·ber /in kəm bər/ vt bered, ber·ing: to burden with a claim (as a mortgage or lien) encumber ed the land with a mineral lease Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996 … Law dictionary
encumber — early 14c., burden, vex, inconvenience, from O.Fr. encombrer to block up, hinder, thwart, from L.L. incombrare, from in in (see IN (Cf. in ) (2)) + combrus barricade, obstacle, probably from L. cumulus heap. Meaning hinder, hamper is attested in… … Etymology dictionary
encumber — *burden, cumber, weigh, weight, load, lade, tax, charge, saddle Analogous words: discommode, incommode, *inconvenience: clog, fetter, *hamper: impede, obstruct, block (see HINDER) … New Dictionary of Synonyms
encumber — [v] bother, burden block, charge, clog, cramp, discommode, embarrass, hamper, handicap, hang up, hinder, hog tie*, hold up, impede, incommode, inconvenience, lade, load, make difficult, obstruct, oppress, overburden, overload, retard, saddle,… … New thesaurus
encumber — ► VERB ▪ be a burden or impediment to. ORIGIN Old French encombrer block up , from combre river barrage … English terms dictionary
encumber — [en kum′bər, inkum′bər] vt. [ME encombren < OFr encombrer: see EN 1 & CUMBER] 1. to hold back the motion or action of, as with a burden; hinder; hamper 2. to fill in such a way as to obstruct; block up; obstruct 3. to load or weigh down, as… … English World dictionary
encumber — v. (D; tr.) to encumber with * * * [ɪn kʌmbə] (D; tr.) to encumber with … Combinatory dictionary
encumber — UK [ɪnˈkʌmbə(r)] / US [ɪnˈkʌmbər] verb [transitive] Word forms encumber : present tense I/you/we/they encumber he/she/it encumbers present participle encumbering past tense encumbered past participle encumbered formal 1) if something large, heavy … English dictionary
encumber — transitive verb ( cumbered; encumbering) Etymology: Middle English encombren, from Anglo French encumbrer, from en + Middle French combre dam, weir Date: 14th century 1. weigh down, burden < tourists encumbered by heavy luggage > 2. to impede or… … New Collegiate Dictionary
encumber — en|cum|ber [ınˈkʌmbə US ər] v [T usually passive] [Date: 1300 1400; : Old French; Origin: encombrer, from combre something that prevents movement ] formal to make it difficult for you to do something or for something to happen = ↑burden ▪ He died … Dictionary of contemporary English
