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.
(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

Bulgarian: обременявам (bg) (obremenjavam)
Finnish: kuormittaa (fi)
Galician: lastrar (gl)
German: belasten (de), aufbürden (de)

Italian: caricare (it), incombere (it)
Maori: whakawherū, whakarorerore
Russian: обременя́ть (ru) impf (obremenjátʹ), отягоща́ть (ru) impf (otjagoščátʹ)

to restrict

Bulgarian: затруднявам (bg) (zatrudnjavam), ограничавам (bg) (ograničavam)
Finnish: haitata (fi), estää (fi)
Galician: obstaculizar
German: behindern (de), belasten (de)

Italian: intralciare (it), ingombrare, ostacolare (it)
Maori: whakawherū, whakarorerore
Romanian: încurca (ro)
Russian: загроможда́ть (ru) impf (zagromoždátʹ), стесня́ть (ru) impf (stesnjátʹ)

to burden with a legal claim

Finnish: haitata (fi)
German: belasten (de)

Italian: caricare con ipoteca, gravare di ipoteca
Russian: обременя́ть (ru) impf (obremenjátʹ)