encumber
verb /ɪnˈkʌmbə(r)/
/ɪnˈkʌmbər/
[usually passive] (formal)Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they encumber | /ɪnˈkʌmbə(r)/ /ɪnˈkʌmbər/ |
| he / she / it encumbers | /ɪnˈkʌmbəz/ /ɪnˈkʌmbərz/ |
| past simple encumbered | /ɪnˈkʌmbəd/ /ɪnˈkʌmbərd/ |
| past participle encumbered | /ɪnˈkʌmbəd/ /ɪnˈkʌmbərd/ |
| -ing form encumbering | /ɪnˈkʌmbərɪŋ/ /ɪnˈkʌmbərɪŋ/ |
- to make it difficult for somebody to do something or for something to happen
- be encumbered by somebody/something The police operation was encumbered by crowds of reporters.
- be encumbered with something The business is encumbered with debt.
- to be large and/or heavy and make it difficult for somebody to move
- be encumbered by something The frogmen were encumbered by their diving equipment.
Word OriginMiddle English (in the sense ‘cause trouble to, entangle’; formerly also as incumber): from Old French encombrer ‘block up’, from en- ‘in’ + combre ‘river barrage’.