ease Definition

ease
noun

1. Freedom from pain or anxiety.

Thesaurus: comfort, rest, peace of mind, leisure, repose, calm, tranquillity, solace, consolation.
2. Absence of difficulty.

Thesaurus: facility, expertness, efficiency, adroitness, skilfulness, dexterity, knack, smoothness, aplomb; Antonym: difficulty, clumsiness.
3. Freedom from embarrassment.
4. Absence of restriction.
5. Rest from work; leisure; relaxation.
6. Wealth; freedom from the constraints of poverty.

verb eased, easing

1. To free someone from pain, trouble or anxiety.
2. To make someone comfortable.
3. To relieve or calm something.

Thesaurus: alleviate, allay, mitigate, comfort, soothe, relieve, assuage, palliate, ameliorate, tranquilize; Antonym: aggravate, hurt, injure.
4. To loosen something.

Example: ease the waistband
5. To make something less difficult: to assist.

Example: ease his progress
Thesaurus: facilitate, expedite, smooth the way for.
intr
6. To become less intense.

Thesaurus: abate, moderate, decrease, relent, die down, wane, slacken, subside; Antonym: build up, increase.
Form: ease off (often)
Form: ease up
intr
7. To move gently or very gradually.

Thesaurus: guide, manoeuvre, slide, handle, manipulate.

Derivative: easeful
adj

Relaxing; quiet; restful.

Idiom: at ease

Relaxed; free from anxiety or embarrassment.

Standing with legs apart and hands clasped behind the back.

Idiom: take one's ease

formal
To relax; to make oneself comfortable.

Etymology: 13c: from French aise.

Phrasal Verb: ease something in or out

To move (something heavy or awkward) gently or gradually in or out of position.