GNU Collaborative International Dictionary of English
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Found 2 definitions
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Ease (ēz), n. [OE. ese, eise, F. aise; akin to Pr. ais, aise, OIt. asio, It. agio; of uncertain origin; cf. L. ansa handle, occasion, opportunity. Cf. Agio, Disease.]
1. Satisfaction; pleasure; hence, accommodation; entertainment. [Obs.]
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They him besought
Of harbor and or ease as for hire penny. Chaucer.
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2. Freedom from anything that pains or troubles; as: (a) Relief from labor or effort; rest; quiet; relaxation; as, “ease of body”.
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Usefulness comes by labor, wit by ease. Herbert.
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Give yourself ease from the fatigue of watching. Swift.
(b) Freedom from care, solicitude, or anything that annoys or disquiets; tranquillity; peace; comfort; security; as, ease of mind.
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Among these nations shalt thou find no ease. Deut. xxviii. 65.
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Take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. Luke xii. 19.
(c) Freedom from constraint, formality, difficulty, embarrassment, etc.; facility; liberty; naturalness; -- said of manner, style, etc.; as, “ease of style, of behavior, of address”.
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True ease in writing comes from art, not chance. Pope.
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Whate'er he did was done with so much ease,
In him alone 't was natural to please. Dryden.
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At ease, free from pain, trouble, or anxiety. “His soul shall dwell at ease.” Ps. xxv. 12. -- Chapel of ease. See under Chapel. -- Ill at ease, not at ease, disquieted; suffering; anxious. -- To stand at ease (Mil.), to stand in a comfortable attitude in one's place in the ranks. -- With ease, easily; without much effort.
Syn. -- Rest; quiet; repose; comfortableness; tranquillity; facility; easiness; readiness.
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Ease (ēz), v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Eased (ēzd); p. pr. & vb. n. Easing.] [OE. esen, eisen, OF. aisier. See Ease, n.]
1. To free from anything that pains, disquiets, or oppresses; to relieve from toil or care; to give rest, repose, or tranquillity to; -- often with of; as, “to ease of pain; to ease the body or mind.”
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Eased [from] the putting off
These troublesome disguises which we wear. Milton.
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Sing, and I 'll ease thy shoulders of thy load. Dryden.
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2. To render less painful or oppressive; to mitigate; to alleviate.
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My couch shall ease my complaint. Job vii. 13.
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3. To release from pressure or restraint; to move gently; to lift slightly; to shift a little; as, “to ease a bar or nut in machinery”.
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4. To entertain; to furnish with accommodations. [Obs.] Chaucer.
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To ease off, To ease away (Naut.), to slacken a rope gradually. -- To ease a ship (Naut.), to put the helm hard, or regulate the sail, to prevent pitching when closehauled. -- To ease the helm (Naut.), to put the helm more nearly amidships, to lessen the effect on the ship, or the strain on the wheel rope. Ham. Nav. Encyc.
Syn. -- To relieve; disburden; quiet; calm; tranquilize; assuage; alleviate; allay; mitigate; appease; pacify.
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