encumber
English
Etymology
From Middle English encombren, from Old French encombrer, from en- + combrer (“to hinder”); see cumber.
Verb
encumber (third-person singular simple present encumbers, present participle encumbering, simple past and past participle encumbered)
- (transitive) to load down something with a burden
- (transitive) to restrict or block something with a hindrance or impediment
- 1906 – 1921, John Galsworthy, “Encounter”, in The Forsyte Saga, volume 1:
- He [Timothy Forsyte] had never committed the imprudence of marrying or encumbering himself in any way with children.
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- (transitive) to burden with a legal claim or other obligation
Synonyms
- See also Thesaurus:hinder
Antonyms
- disencumber, unload, unencumber
Derived terms
- encumbrance
- encumbrous
Related terms
- unencumber
- incumbrance
- cumber
- cumbersome
Translations
to load down
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to restrict
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to burden with a legal claim
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Further reading
- encumber in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
- encumber in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
- “encumber” in Douglas Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2001–2019.