ease — ODE · Shobdo

ease /iːz

▸ noun [mass 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:

a life of wealth and ease.

▸ verb

1 [with object] make (something unpleasant or intense) less serious or severe:

the road-building programme is planned 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:

shares eased 6p to 224p

(easing as noun) 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 harbour.

▪ [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 /ˌat ˈiːz

, ət ˈiːz

/ (also at one's ease)
free from worry or awkwardness; 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):

all right, stand at ease!.

ease someone's mind
alleviate someone's anxiety:

concentrating on the stitching helped to ease her mind.

– PHRASAL VERBS

ease back gently relieve the pressure on something:

I eased back on the throttle and let my boat drag through the water.

▪ move back gradually from a position, state, activity, etc.:

the country is easing back to normality

it's safe to ease back on certain restrictions.

ease off /ˌiːz ˈɒf

/ (also ease up) become less serious or severe:

the pain doesn't usually ease off for several hours

the snow was easing up.

▪ do something with more moderation:

I'd ease up on the hard stuff if I were you.

ease out (ease someone out, ease out someone) gradually exclude someone from a post, especially by devious or subtle manoeuvres:

after the scandal he was eased out of his job.

– DERIVATIVES

easer noun

– 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.