Dictionary

ease

Etymology

From Middle English ese, eise, aise, from Anglo-Norman ese, from Old French eise, aise, of uncertain and obscure origin.

Alternatively, possibly from a non-Latin source such as Germanic or Celtic on the basis of the conflicting forms which appear in various Romance languages.

The verb is from Middle English esen, ultimately of the same origin.

Pronunciation

(British) IPA: /iːz/
(America) enPR: ēz, IPA: /iz/

Noun

ease (uncountable)

Ability, the means to do something, particularly:
1. Skill, dexterity, facility.
  He played the ukelele with ease.
Comfort, a state or quality lacking unpleasantness, particularly:
1. Freedom from pain, hardship, and annoyance, sometimes (pejorative, archaic) idleness, sloth.
  She enjoyed the ease of living in a house where the servants did all the work.
2. Freedom from worry and concern; peace; sometimes (pejorative, archaic) indifference.
  The pension set her mind at ease.
  - 1905, Lord Dunsany [i.e., Edward Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany], The Gods of Pegāna, London: [Charles] Elkin Mathews, […], →OCLC ↗, page 16 ↗:
    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.
3. Freedom from difficulty.
  He passed all the exams with ease.
4. Freedom from effort, leisure, rest.
  We took our ease on the patio.
5. Freedom from financial effort or worry; affluence.
  His inheritance catapulted him into a life of ease.
6. Freedom from embarrassment or awkwardness; grace.
  She dealt with the faculty with combined authority and ease.
Relief, an end to discomfort, particularly:
1. Followed by of or from: release from or reduction of pain, hardship, or annoyance.
  Take one pill every 12 hours to provide ease from pain.
2. (euphemistic, obsolete) Release from intestinal discomfort: defecation.
3. Release from constraint, obligation, or a constrained position.
  At ease, soldier!
4. (clothing) Additional space provided to allow greater movement.
  Add some ease to the waist measurement.
(obsolete) A convenience; a luxury.
(obsolete) A relief; an easement.

Synonyms

(ability) ability, dexterity, facility, skill
(comfort) comfort, peace
(freedom from worry) peace of mind
(freedom from effort) free time, leisure, relaxation, rest

Antonyms

(antonym(s) of “ability”): difficulty

Related terms

easy, easiness

Translations

French: facilité
German: Leichtigkeit, Mühelosigkeit
Italian: facilità
Portuguese: habilidade
Russian: лёгкость

Translations

German: Behaglichkeit, Bequemlichkeit, Leichtigkeit
Russian: споко́йствие

Translations

German: Unbeschwertheit
Portuguese: conforto, comodidade

Translations

German: Muße, Leichtigkeit
Portuguese: facilidade
Russian: лёгкость

Translations

French: repos
Italian: riposo
Russian: досу́г

Verb

ease (eases, present participle easing; simple past and past participle eased)

(transitive) To free (something) from pain, worry, agitation, etc.
He eased his conscience by confessing.
- 1576, George Whetstone, “The Ortchard of Repentance: […]”, in The Rocke of Regard, […], London: […] [H. Middleton] for Robert Waley, →OCLC ↗; republished in J[ohn] P[ayne] Collier, editor, The Rocke of Regard, […] (Illustrations of Early English Poetry; vol. 2, no. 2), London: Privately printed, [1867?], →OCLC ↗, page 291 ↗:
  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; […]
(transitive) To alleviate, assuage or lessen (pain).
He loosened his shoe to ease the pain.
His words of comfort eased his friend's pain and distress.
(transitive) To give respite to (someone).
The provision of extra staff eased their workload.
(nautical, transitive) To loosen or slacken the tension on a line.
We eased the boom vang, then lowered the sail.
(transitive) To reduce the difficulty of (something).
We had to ease the entry requirements.
(transitive) To move (something) slowly and carefully.
He eased the cork from the bottle.
(intransitive) To lessen in intensity.
The pain eased overnight.
(intransitive) To proceed with little effort.
The car eased onto the motorway.
(transitive, slang, archaic) To take something from (a person), especially by robbery.

Synonyms

(free (something) from pain, worry, agitation, etc) assuage, salve
(alleviate, assuage or lessen (pain)) allay, alleviate, assuage, lessen, reduce
(give respite to (someone)) give someone a break (informal), lay off (informal)
(loosen or slacken the tension on (something)) loosen, relax, slacken
(reduce the difficulty of (something)) facilitate, simplify
(lessen in severity) lessen, reduce
(proceed with little effort) cruise