ease

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   The state of being able to do something without difficulty.

   She passed the exam with ease.

2. 2
   verb

   To make a pain, problem, or bad feeling less severe.

   The medicine helped to ease the pain in his back.

3. 3
   verb

   To move something slowly and carefully.

   He eased the car into the narrow parking space.

4. 4
   noun

   A comfortable, relaxed state free from worry or trouble.

   After retiring, they lived a life of ease.

Multiword verbs with ease

• ease off Phrasal verb B2

  to become less strong, severe, or intense

Appears in

Simplified etymology

Ease entered Middle English through Old French aisier, “put at ease, facilitate,” and is traced ultimately to Latin adjacens, “lying close by.” Its Middle English senses included comfort and convenience.

From Middle English ese, eise, aise, from Anglo-Norman ese (“ease”), from Old French eise, aise (“elbow room; opportunity”), of uncertain and obscure origin. Apparently related to Provençal ais, Italian agio and asio, Sicilian aciu and Portuguese azo. Sometimes ascribed to Vulgar Latin *āsia or *āsium, possibly from Latin ānsa (“handle, haft”) or Frankish *ansiju (“handle, loophole, eyelet; cup-handle; arms akimbo, elbow room”), but more often derived from Vulgar Latin *adjace(m), from Latin adjacēns (“adjacent, neighbouring”), present participle of adjaceō (“lie next to, border on”), though t…

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External links

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