English▸ noun absence of difficulty or effort:
she gave up smoking with ease
the manual is clearly written, easy to understand, and designed for ease of use.
▪ absence of rigidity or discomfort; poise:
I was always vexed by her self-contained ease.
▪ freedom from worries or problems, especially about one's material situation:
a life of wealth and ease.
▸ verb
1 [with object] make (something unpleasant, painful, or intense) less serious or severe:
a huge road-building program to ease congestion
the doctor will give you something to ease the pain
unburdening herself did nothing to ease her misery.
▪ [no object] become less serious or severe:
international tension began to ease.
▪ make (something) happen more easily; facilitate:
Tokyo's dominance of government was deemed to ease efficient contact-making.
▪ [no object] (of share prices, interest rates, etc.) decrease in value or amount:
these shares should be bought and tucked away for when interest rates ease
(as noun easing) a slight easing of inflation.
▪ Nautical slacken a rope or sail.
2 [no object, with adverbial of direction] move carefully or gradually:
I eased down the slope with care
the boat eased away from the harbor.
▪ [with object and adverbial of direction] move (someone or something) carefully or gradually:
she eased off her shoes
the pilot eased the throttle back
he brought in someone new and eased them into the job.
– PHRASES
at ease (also at one's ease)
free from worry, awkwardness, or problems; relaxed:
alleviate someone's anxiety:
at ease (also at one's ease)
free from worry, awkwardness, or problems; relaxed:
she was never quite at ease with Phil.
▪ Military
in a relaxed attitude with the feet apart and the hands behind the back (often as a command):
ease someone's mind in a relaxed attitude with the feet apart and the hands behind the back (often as a command):
all right, stand at ease!
alleviate someone's anxiety:
concentrating on the stitching helped to ease her mind.
– PHRASAL VERBS
ease off (also ease up)
become less serious or severe:
gradually exclude someone from a post, especially by devious or subtle maneuvers:
ease off (also ease up)
become less serious or severe:
the pain doesn't usually ease off for several hours
the snow was easing up.
▪ relax one's efforts; do something with more moderation:
ease out (ease someone out, ease out someone) I'd ease up on the hard stuff if I were you.
gradually exclude someone from a post, especially by devious or subtle maneuvers:
after the scandal he was eased out of his job.
– ORIGIN Middle English : from Old French aise, based on Latin adjacens ‘lying close by’, present participle of adjacere. The verb is originally from Old French aisier, from the phrase a aise ‘at ease’; in later use from the noun.