| 释义 |
ease
I. \ˈēz\ noun
(-s)
Etymology: Middle English ese, from Old French aise comfort, opportunity, from Latin adjacent-, adjacens neighboring place, from adjacent-, adjacens, present participle of adjacēre to lie near — more at adjacent
1. : the state of being comfortable: as
a. : freedom from pain or discomfort
< with all the ease of wearing an old, comfortable … dressing gown — H.V.Gregory >
< a special seat mounting for ease in riding — Motor Transportation in the West >
b. : freedom from care or worry : tranquillity, security
< ease of mind >
< there is ease in the family and in the village — Abram Kardiner >
c. : freedom from labor, effort, inconvenience, or burden : relaxation
< shallow waters where she could swim with ease — Agnes Repplier >
< she took her ease on Sunday >
d. : freedom from embarrassment, constraint, or formality : naturalness
< he experiences ease among his friends >
< with an ease of manner sportsmen are apt to have — A.W.Long >
2. : relief from or mitigation of discomfort, pain, constraint, or obligation
< the medicine brought almost instant ease >
< there seemed to him to be no ease from the burdens of life >
3. : facility, effortlessness
< she rides a horse with ease >
especially : stylistic smoothness in literary or artistic expression
< the ease and polish of the best 18th century English prose >
4.
a. : easement 3
b. : an allowance of fullness that is usually placed across the back shoulders, over the bust, and about the hips in a garment to permit free motion of the body
5. : an act of easing (as of a restriction) or state of being eased (as of a market)
< credit ease tends to promote buying >
especially : a lowering trend in prices
< the grain market showed considerable ease last week >
Synonyms: see rest
•
- at ease
II. verb
(eased ; eased ; easing ; eases)
Etymology: Middle English esen, from Old French aaisier & aisier; Old French aaisier from a- (from Latin ad-) + aisier, from aise, n.
transitive verb
1.
a. : to free from something that pains, disquiets, or burdens : relieve especially from toil or care
< eased and comforted the sick >
— usually used with of
< let him ease you of your troubles >
b. obsolete : to provide with food and lodging : entertain
c. : to take something away from easily : rob
< a pickpocket slipped up and eased him of his purse >
2. : to take away : lessen, alleviate
< took an aspirin to ease the pain >
< we cannot ease taxes while every special interest demands more money >
3.
a. : to lessen the pressure or tension of (as by slackening, lifting, or shifting)
< ease the spring gently >
: adjust by gradual movements so as to relieve strain or avoid injury or damage
< easing himself into his chair >
: maneuver gently or carefully
< they eased the heavy block into position >
— often used with a directional word
< ease in that line >
< ease your clutch in slowly >
< he eased the bolt in carefully >
b. : to moderate or reduce especially in amount, intensity, or rate of performance
< easing the flow from the faucet until he could hear what she said >
: make more gentle, gradual, or slow
< eased his climb with a brief rest by the side of the path >
often : to cause to slow down or stop
< ease the car down to 20 miles an hour on this curve >
c. : to adjust (fullness in a garment) by pulling, gathering, or pleating so that a longer and a shorter part join smoothly; broadly : to provide (a garment) with requisite ease
4. : to make less difficult : facilitate
5.
a. : to bring (a ship) into position to meet a wave bow on (as by putting the helm alee or by regulating the sails)
b. : to let (a helm or rudder) come back a little after having been put hard over
intransitive verb
1. : to give freedom or relief (as from pain or discomfort) : lessen pain or oppressiveness
< a hot bath often eases and relaxes >
2. : to move or pass with freedom from abruptness or awkwardness or with little resistance — sometimes used with a directional word (as along, over)
3. : moderate, slacken, diminish; also : stop, desist — now usually used with an expletive (as off, up) |