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ease definition

ease (ēz)

noun

  1. freedom from pain, worry, or trouble; comfort
  2. freedom from stiffness, formality, or awkwardness; natural, easy manner; poise
  3. freedom from difficulty; facility; adroitness to write with ease
  4. freedom from poverty; state of being financially secure; affluence
  5. rest; leisure; relaxation

Etymology: ME ese < OFr aise < VL *adjaces < L adjacens, lying nearby, hence easy to reach: see adjacent

transitive verb eased, easing eas′·ing

  1. to free from pain, worry, or trouble; comfort
  2. to lessen or alleviate (pain, anxiety, etc.)
  3. to make easier; facilitate
    1. to reduce the strain, tension, or pressure of or on; loosen; slacken
    2. to reduce (the strain, tension, pressure, etc.) on (a rope, sail, etc.)
  5. to fit or move by careful shifting, slow pressure, etc. to ease a piano into place

intransitive verb

  1. to move or be moved by careful shifting, slow pressure, etc.
  2. to lessen in tension, speed, pain, etc.
  3. to reduce strain, tension, or pressure: often with up, off, etc.
ease Idioms

at ease

  1. having no anxiety, pain, or discomfort
  2. Mil.
    1. in a relaxed position but maintaining silence and staying in place
    2. the command to assume this position

ease out

to tactfully persuade (an employee, tenant, etc.) to leave

ease the rudder

or ease the helm
Naut. to reduce the angle the rudder makes with the fore-and-aft line so that the vessel will turn more gradually

take one's ease

to relax and be comfortable

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

finance ease definition - finance

idioms ease idiom

ease Synonyms

ease

n.

  1. Freedom from pain or anxiety

    comfort, rest, quietness, peace, relaxed physical state, tranquil rest, relaxation, leisure, repose, easiness, satisfaction, well-being, calm, calmness, restfulness, serenity, security, tranquillity, ataraxia, bed of roses, solace, consolation.

    Antonyms pain*, discomfort*, stress. *

  2. Freedom from difficulty

    facility, adroitness, expertise, expertness, dispatch, efficiency, knack, readiness, quickness, skillfulness, dexterity, artfulness, cleverness, smoothness, effortlessness, child's play, clear sailing, snap*, breeze*, cinch*; see also cinch.

    Antonyms difficulty, trouble, clumsiness.

  3. Freedom from stiffness or awkwardness

    naturalness, poise, familiarity; see composure, informality.

  4. Freedom from poverty

    affluence, prosperity, comfort; see luxury 1, wealth 2.

at ease

relaxed, collected, untroubled, carefree; see calm 1, comfortable 1.

take one's ease

be calm, rest, be comfortable; see relax 1.


ease

v.

  1. To relieve of pain

    alleviate, allay, relieve, mitigate, lessen, assuage, tranquilize, sedate, drug, administer an opiate, administer a sedative, anesthetize, render less painful, give relief, comfort, give an anesthetic, fit a splint, relieve pressure, cure, attend to, doctor, nurse, ameliorate, restore to health, palliate, soothe, abate, reduce, lighten, poultice, meliorate.

    Antonyms hurt*, injure*, aggravate. *

  2. To lessen pressure or tension

    slacken, loosen, relax, prop up, lift, hold up, set at ease, make comfortable, comfort, raise, disburden, unburden, release, soften, give repose to, free from anxiety, relieve, relieve one's mind, lighten, let up on, give rest to, quiet, calm, pacify, soothe, cheer; see also comfort.

    Antonyms weight*, tighten*, distress. *

  3. To move carefully

    maneuver, guide, induce, extricate, disentangle, set right, fit, insert, join, facilitate, slide, inch, edge, shift, handle.

    Antonyms force, shove, blunder.

  4. To make easier

    facilitate, expedite, smooth the way; see help 1, promote 1.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

ease Usage Examples

Object

  • transition: No doubt this helps the baby ease the transition to life outside the womb.

Adjective modifier

  • consummate: There was a bit of good-natured punter participation and he handled it all with the consummate ease of the experienced professional that he is.

Modifies a noun

  • authentication: MyEd combined with EASE authentication allows you to move securely into a number of different systems without the need to re-enter usernames and passwords.

Particle object: off_obj

  • accelerator: If you start to skid, gently ease off the accelerator and avoid braking.

Preposition: of

  • installation: Ease of installation The software proved to be easy to install.
ease usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

ease quotes

For the normal business of living man is most at ease on the ground.

-Allsop, (Harold) Bruce

Love seeketh not itself to please, Nor for itself hath any care, But for another gives its ease, And builds a heaven in hell's despair.

-Blake,William

Love seeketh only self to please, To bind another to its delight, Joys in another's loss of ease And builds a hell in heaven's despite.

-Blake,William

ease quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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"ease." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
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ease. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/ease

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