Definition of "ease"

ease

/iːz/

noun
uncountable
1. Ability, the means to do something, particularly:
  1. Skill, dexterity, facility.
2. Comfort, a state or quality lacking unpleasantness, particularly:
  1. (derogatory, archaic) idleness, sloth.
  2. (derogatory, archaic) indifference.
    Quotations
    There is ease in the soul of Slid and there be calms upon the sea; also, there be storms upon the sea and troubles in the soul of Slid, for the gods have many moods.
    1905, [Edward Plunkett,] Lord Dunsany, The Gods of Pegāna‎, London: Elkin Mathews, […], page 16
  3. Freedom from difficulty.
  4. Freedom from effort, leisure, rest.
  5. Freedom from financial effort or worry; affluence.
  6. Freedom from embarrassment or awkwardness; grace.
3. Relief, an end to discomfort, particularly:
  1. Followed by of or from: release from or reduction of pain, hardship, or annoyance.
  2. (euphemistic, obsolete) Release from intestinal discomfort: defecation.
  3. Release from constraint, obligation, or a constrained position.
  4. (clothing) Additional space provided to allow greater movement.
4. (obsolete) A convenience; a luxury.
5. (obsolete) A relief; an easement.
verb
third-person singular simple present eases, present participle easing, simple past and past participle eased
1. (transitive) To free (something) from pain, worry, agitation, etc.
  Quotations
  And ſure, although it was invented to eaſe his mynde of griefe, there be a number of caveats therein to forewarne other young gentlemen to foreſtand with good government their folowing yl fortunes; […]
  1576, George Whetstone, “The Ortchard of Repentance: […]”, in The Rocke of Regard, […], London: […] [H. Middleton] for Robert Waley; republished in J[ohn] P[ayne] Collier, editor, The Rocke of Regard, […] (Illustrations of Early English Poetry; vol. 2, no. 2), London: Privately printed, page 291
  Elyse Saugstad, a professional skier, wore a backpack equipped with an air bag, a relatively new and expensive part of the arsenal that backcountry users increasingly carry to ease their minds and increase survival odds in case of an avalanche.
  2012, John Branch, “Snow Fall : The Avalanche at Tunnel Creek”, in New York Time‎
2. (transitive) To alleviate, assuage or lessen (pain).
3. (transitive) To give respite to (someone).
  Quotations
  An extra rush-hour train has eased overcrowding of the former 5.39 p.m. to Salisbury; this now leaves at 5.43 and an additional electric service to Alton departs at 5.39 p.m.
  1961 October, “The winter timetables of British Railways: Southern Region”, in Trains Illustrated, pages 593–594
4. (nautical, transitive) To loosen or slacken the tension on a line.
5. (transitive) To reduce the difficulty of (something).
  Quotations
  I want to thank you all for easing my coming out.
  1974 April 6, 'Paul', “Personal advertisement”, in Gay Community News, page 8
6. (transitive) To move (something) slowly and carefully.
  Quotations
  Ease down off boulders; a jump may jar or sprain.
  1915 April, Enos A. Mills, “Going to the Top”, in The Rocky Mountain Wonderland, Houghton Mifflin, page 18
7. (intransitive) To lessen in intensity.
8. (intransitive) To proceed with little effort.

Definition of "ease"

ease

noun

Quotations

verb

Quotations

Quotations

Quotations

Quotations