ease

Meaning

Noun

1. (uncountable) Lack of difficulty; the ability to do something easily.
2. (uncountable) Comfort, a state or quality lacking unpleasantness
3. (uncountable) Comfort, a state or quality lacking unpleasantness
4. (uncountable) Comfort, a state or quality lacking unpleasantness
5. (uncountable) Comfort, a state or quality lacking unpleasantness
6. (uncountable) Comfort, a state or quality lacking unpleasantness
7. (uncountable) Relief, an end to discomfort
8. (euphemistic, obsolete, uncountable) Relief, an end to discomfort
9. (uncountable) Relief, an end to discomfort
10. (uncountable) Relief, an end to discomfort
11. (obsolete, uncountable) A convenience; a luxury.
12. (obsolete, uncountable) A relief; an easement.

Verb

1. (transitive) To free (something) from pain, worry, agitation, etc.
2. (transitive) To alleviate, assuage or lessen (pain).
3. (transitive) To give respite to (someone).
4. (transitive) To loosen or slacken the tension on a line.
5. (transitive) To reduce the difficulty of (something).
6. (transitive) To move (something) slowly and carefully.
7. (intransitive) To lessen in intensity.
8. (intransitive) To proceed with little effort.
9. (archaic, slang, transitive) To take something from (a person), especially by robbery.

Opposite of

difficulty, maneuver

Synonyms

comfort

relieve

alleviate

facility

easiness

rest

lessen

relaxation

facilitate

lightness

mitigate

loosen

relax

relief

abate

convenience

allay

leisure

assuage

pleasure

lighten

decrease

simplicity

reduce

slacken

diminish

health

⚕️

repose

quiet

calm

happiness

peace

☮️

palliate

simplify

calmness

luxury

simpleness

cosiness

comfortableness

still

quietness

subside

satisfaction

shrink

abridge

remit

contentment

effortlessness

informality

naturalness

Translations

aisance

facilité

agio

faciliter

facilidad

aise

erleichtern

repos

confort

Behaglichkeit

aliviar

facilità

ευκολία

verlichten

soulager

Pronounced as (IPA)

/iːz/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: ese

Cognate with Italian: agio

Cognate with Sicilian: aciu

Cognate with Portuguese: azo

Cognate with Old English: īeþe

Cognate with Gothic: 𐌰𐌶𐌴𐍄𐌹

Cognate with Breton: eaz

Cognate with Irish: adhais

Inherited from Middle English: esen

In summary

From Middle English ese, eise, aise, from Anglo-Norman ese (“ease”), from Old French eise, aise (“elbow room; opportunity”), of uncertain and obscure origin. Apparently related to Provençal ais, Italian agio and asio, Sicilian aciu and Portuguese azo. Sometimes ascribed to Vulgar Latin *āsia or *āsium, possibly from Latin ānsa (“handle, haft”) or Frankish *ansiju (“handle, loophole, eyelet; cup-handle; arms akimbo, elbow room”), but more often derived from Vulgar Latin *adjace(m), from Latin adjacēns (“adjacent, neighbouring”), present participle of adjaceō (“lie next to, border on”), though the forms and senses are difficult to trace clearly.
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 (azēti, “ease; pleasure”), *𐌰𐌶𐌴𐍄𐍃 (*azēts, “easy”), Breton eaz, ez (“easy”), Irish adhais (“easy; leisure”). See also eath.
The verb is from Middle English esen, ultimately of the same origin.