encumber

• incumber (archaic)

From Middle English encombren, from Old French encombrer, from en- + combrer (“to hinder”); see cumber.

• IPA^(key): /ɪnˈkʌmbə(ɹ)/, /ɛnˈkʌmbə(ɹ)/
• Rhymes: -ʌmbə(ɹ)

• Audio (US):

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encumber (third-person singular simple present encumbers, present participle encumbering, simple past and past participle encumbered)

1. (transitive) To load down something with a burden.
   • 1951 November, K. Westcott Jones, “Parkeston Quay and the Antwerp Continental Service”, in Railway Magazine, page 760:

     In the reverse direction, creature comforts were not closely studied, and the vessel left Antwerp at 1 p.m., to arrive in Harwich at the awkward hour of 2 a.m. The boat train was waiting for the weary stream of passengers, who straggled up George Street, encumbered with luggage, or following burdened porters in the darkness.

2. (transitive) To restrict or block something with a hindrance or impediment.
   • 1906 – 1921, John Galsworthy, “Encounter”, in The Forsyte Saga, volume 1:

     He [Timothy Forsyte] had never committed the imprudence of marrying or encumbering himself in any way with children.

3. (transitive) To burden with a legal claim or other obligation.

• See also Thesaurus:hinder

• disencumber, unload, unencumber

• “encumber”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “encumber”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “encumber”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.