easing

Variant of ease

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 © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Comments
Improve this definition.
Do you have more to add? Share your linguistic knowledge or observation.
/Register to save your comments.