ease

Meanings

Noun

• Ability, the means to do something, particularly:
• Comfort, a state or quality lacking unpleasantness, particularly:
• Relief, an end to discomfort, particularly:
• A convenience; a luxury.
• A relief; an easement.

Verb

• To free (something) from pain, worry, agitation, etc.
• To alleviate, assuage or lessen (pain).
• To give respite to (someone).
• To loosen or slacken the tension on a line.
• To reduce the difficulty of (something).
• To move (something) slowly and carefully.
• To lessen in intensity.
• To proceed with little effort.

Related

Similar words

• ability, dexterity, facility, skill
• comfort, peace
• peace of mind
• free time, leisure, relaxation, rest
• assuage, salve
• allay, alleviate, assuage, lessen, reduce
• give someone a break , lay off
• loosen, relax, slacken
• facilitate, simplify
• lessen, reduce
• cruise

Origin

• From Middle English ese, ays, etc., from Anglo-Norman ese ("ease"), from Old French eise and aise, of uncertain and obscure origin. Cognate with Provencal ais, Italian agio and asio, Sicilian aciu and Portuguese azo. but more likely from a Vulgar Latin, from Latin adjacēns, present participle of adjaceō. 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. Compare Old English īeþe ("easy"), Gothic 𐌰𐌶𐌴𐍄𐌹 ("ease; pleasure"), *𐌰𐌶𐌴𐍄𐍃, Breton eaz, ez, Irish adhais ("easy; leisure"). Compare also Frankish *ansiju ("loophole, eyelet; handle, arms akimbo, elbow room"). See also eath.
• The verb is from Middle English esen, ultimately of the same origin.