encumbrance

encumbrance

English

Alternative forms

• incumbrance

Etymology

From Middle English encombraunce, from Old French encombrance, from encombrer.

Noun

encumbrance (countable and uncountable, plural encumbrances)

1. Something that encumbers; a burden that must be carried.
   • 1912, Zane Grey, Riders of the Purple Sage, Chapter 8

     Some consideration was necessary to decide whether or not to leave his rifle there. On the return, carrying the girl and a pack, it would be added encumbrance […]

2. (law) An interest, right, burden, or liability attached to a title of land, such as a lien or mortgage.
3. (law) One who is dependent on another.

   a widow without encumbrances, i.e. without children

Synonyms

• encumberment

Translations

burden

Bulgarian: бреме (bg) n (breme), товар (bg) m (tovar) Finnish: taakka (fi) German: Belastung (de) f, dingliche Belastung f Hungarian: teher (hu), megterhelés (hu), súly (hu)

Maori: whakararu, hūnuku (refers to family members) Polish: obciążenie (pl) n Turkish: mesuliyet (tr), sorumluluk (tr), yük (tr), engel (tr)

interest, right, burden or liability

Bulgarian: ипотека (bg) f (ipoteka) Finnish: rasite (fi) German: Verschuldung (de) f, Schuldenlast (de) f, Grundstückslast f

Hungarian: teher (hu), megterhelés (hu), jelzálog (hu) Polish: obciążenie (pl) n Turkish: borç (tr), ipotek (tr) (law)