encumbrance
(ɛnˈkʌmbrəns)
Forms: α. 4–5 encombraunce, (-beraunce), 4–6 encumbraunce, 4–7 encombrance, 7– encumbrance; β. 6 incomb(e)raunce, 6–7 incombrance, (7 incumberance), 7–9 incumbrance.
[a. OF. encombrance, f. encombrer to encumber; see -ance.]
† 1. Encumbered state or condition; trouble, molestation, perplexity. Obs.
| c 1314 Guy Warw. (A.) 5509 The douke Otous..His gret encumbraunce him telde. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xviii. 265 (Wright's text) Care & encombraunce is comen to vs alle. c 1430 Syr Gener. (Roxb.) 2657 So I me drede..To haue som grete encomberaunce. 1509 Fisher Fun. Serm. C'tess Richm. (1708) 28 A lyfe voyde of all sorrow and encombrance. 1559 Homilies i. Fear of Death iii. (1859) 103 The great encombrance which our spirit hath by this sinful flesh. |
† b. Satanic temptation: = encumberment 1 b.
| c 1450 Merlin, Wyte ye well that this is the encombraunce of the deuell. |
2. concr. That which encumbers; a burden, impediment, ‘dead weight’; a useless addition; in stronger sense, an annoyance, trouble.
| 1535 Stat. 27 Hen. VIII, c. 3 Which..shall be a great incumberance to all such the Kinges subiectes. 1583 Golding Calvin on Deut. ii. 8 The incomberaunces are..so great as it would bee vnpossible for vs to ouercome them if God assisted vs not. 1653 Milton Hirelings (1659) 95 To hire incumbents or rather incumbrances for life-time. 1748 Anson Voy. i. i. (ed. 4) 16 This incumbrance of a convoy gave us some uneasiness. 1764 Burn Poor Laws 172 Housekeepers will be freed from the intolerable incumbrance of beggars at their doors. 1833 I. Taylor Fanat. ii. 35 Malign dispositions and vindictive habits are..miserable encumbrances of the mind. 1851 ‘L. Mariotti’ Italy in 1848 iv. 234 The great mass of volunteers, especially Lombards, were looked upon as a mere encumbrance. 1860 Tyndall Glac. i. §27. 196 Divesting my limbs of every encumbrance. |
3. A person dependent on another for support; esp. in phrase without encumbrance = ‘having no children’.
| 1742 Fielding Jos. Andrews iv. ii, I will have no more incumbrances brought on us. 1751 Johnson Rambler No. 165 §4. 148 Left the younger sons encumbrances on the eldest. 1833 H. Martineau Three Ages iii. 109 The widow..may advertise herself as ‘without incumbrance’, to undertake any situation. 1865 Pall Mall G. 28 Nov. 10 Coachmen..rarely have children, or, as they say..incumbrances. |
4. Law. A burden on property: ‘A claim, lien, liability attached to property; as a mortgage, a registered judgment, etc.’ (Wharton).
| a 1626 Bacon Max. & Uses Com. Law 27 These acts are collaterall encombrances. 1642 Perkins Prof. Bk. iv. §269. 120 He hath this Land without encombrance of Action. 1658 Sir H. Slingsby Diary (1836) 200 That my ancient and lineally descended estate, might without incumbrance fall upon you my elder son. 1770 Junius Lett. xl. 204 You accepted the succession with all its encumbrances. 1836 Kent Comm. Amer. Law (1873) II. xxxix. 483 If a vendor, knowing of an encumbrance upon an estate, etc. |