ease

[eez]

noun

1. freedom from labor, pain, or physical annoyance; tranquil rest; comfort.

   to enjoy one's ease.

   Synonyms: effortlessness, contentment, repose
   Antonyms: effort, discomfort

2. freedom from concern, anxiety, or solicitude; a quiet state of mind.

   to be at ease about one's health.

   Synonyms: peace, calmness, serenity, tranquility
   Antonyms: disturbance

3. freedom from difficulty or great effort; facility.

   It can be done with ease.

4. freedom from financial need; plenty.

   a life of ease on a moderate income.

5. freedom from stiffness, constraint, or formality; unaffectedness.

   ease of manner;

   the ease and elegance of her poetry.

   Synonyms: informality, naturalness
   Antonyms: tenseness, formality, stiffness

verb (used with object)

eased, easing 

1. to free from anxiety or care.

   to ease one's mind.

   Synonyms: soothe, tranquilize, disburden, relieve, comfort

2. to mitigate, lighten, or lessen.

   to ease pain.

   Synonyms: reduce, abate, allay, assuage, alleviate

3. to release from pressure, tension, or the like.

4. to move or shift with great care.

   to ease a car into a narrow parking space.

5. to render less difficult; facilitate.

   I'll help if it will ease your job.

6. to provide (an architectural member) with an easement.

7. Shipbuilding.,  to trim (a timber of a wooden hull) so as to fair its surface into the desired form of the hull.

8. Nautical.

   1. to bring (the helm or rudder of a vessel) slowly amidships.

   2. to bring the head of (a vessel) into the wind.

   3. to slacken or lessen the hold upon (a rope).

   4. to lessen the hold of (the brake of a windlass).

verb (used without object)

eased, easing 

1. to abate in severity, pressure, tension, etc. (often followed by off orup ).

2. to become less painful, burdensome, etc.

3. to move, shift, or be moved or be shifted with great care.

verb phrase

1. ease out,  to remove from a position of authority, a job, or the like, especially by methods intended to be tactful.

   He was eased out as division head to make way for the boss's nephew.

ease

/ iːz /

noun

1. freedom from discomfort, worry, or anxiety

2. lack of difficulty, labour, or awkwardness; facility

3. rest, leisure, or relaxation

4. freedom from poverty or financial embarrassment; affluence

   a life of ease

5. lack of restraint, embarrassment, or stiffness

   his ease of manner disarmed us

6. military

   1. (of a standing soldier, etc) in a relaxed position with the feet apart and hands linked behind the back

   2. a command to adopt such a position

   3. in a relaxed attitude or frame of mind

verb

1. to make or become less burdensome

2. (tr) to relieve (a person) of worry or care; comfort

3. (tr) to make comfortable or give rest to

4. (tr) to make less difficult; facilitate

5. to move or cause to move into, out of, etc, with careful manipulation

   to ease a car into a narrow space

6. to lessen or cause to lessen in severity, pressure, tension, or strain; slacken, loosen, or abate

7. archaic,  to urinate or defecate

8. nautical to relieve the pressure on the rudder of a vessel, esp by bringing the bow into the wind

Other Word Forms

• easer noun
• self-ease noun
• self-easing adjective
• well-eased adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of ease¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English noun ese, eise, from Anglo-French, Old French “comfort, convenience,” from Vulgar Latin adjaces (unrecorded) “vicinity,” the regular outcome of literary Latin adjacēns adjacent; verb ultimately derivative of the noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of ease¹

C13: from Old French aise ease, opportunity, from Latin adjacēns neighbouring (area); see _adjacent

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. at ease, a position of rest in which soldiers may relax but may not leave their places or talk.

More idioms and phrases containing ease

• at ease
• easily
• easy
• ill at ease

Synonym Study

Ease, comfort refer to a sense of relaxation or of well-being. Ease implies a relaxed condition with an absence of effort or pressure: a life of ease. Comfort suggests a sense of well-being, along with ease, which produces a quiet happiness and contentment: comfort in one's old age.

Example Sentences

He continued to refine the shape through the 1980s, gradually easing the “wedge shape” jacket into a more relaxed silhouette with sloped shoulders and lower lapels.

From Los Angeles Times

UK government long-term borrowing costs have eased after reaching their highest level since 1998 earlier in the week.

From BBC

Looking more at ease, Osaka's renowned ball-striking returned, and rediscovering her confidence led to the Montreal final in her first tournament with Wiktorowski.

From BBC

On only two occasions during his entire time at the hospital did ward staff assess him as requiring additional pain relief to ease his distress.

From BBC

During the pandemic, she took long walks and picked up litter to ease her boredom.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• abate 
• allay 
• ameliorate 
• calm 
• expedite 
• facilitate 
• further 
• improve 
• lessen 
• lift 
• mitigate 
• moderate 
• promote 
• relax 
• relieve 
• simplify 
• soften 
• soothe 
• speed