EASE
rest, ease, repose, relaxation
(noun) freedom from activity (work or strain or responsibility); “took his repose by the swimming pool”
ease, easiness, simplicity, simpleness
(noun) freedom from difficulty or hardship or effort; “he rose through the ranks with apparent ease”; “they put it into containers for ease of transportation”; “the very easiness of the deed held her back”
ease, informality
(noun) freedom from constraint or embarrassment; “I am never at ease with strangers”
relief, ease
(noun) the condition of being comfortable or relieved (especially after being relieved of distress); “he enjoyed his relief from responsibility”; “getting it off his conscience gave him some ease”
ease, comfort
(noun) a freedom from financial difficulty that promotes a comfortable state; “a life of luxury and ease”; “he had all the material comforts of this world”
comfort, ease
(verb) lessen pain or discomfort; alleviate; “ease the pain in your legs”
facilitate, ease, alleviate
(verb) make easier; “you could facilitate the process by sharing your knowledge”
still, allay, relieve, ease
(verb) lessen the intensity of or calm; “The news eased my conscience”; “still the fears”
ease
(verb) move gently or carefully; “He eased himself into the chair”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Noun
ease (uncountable)
Ability, the means to do something, particularly
(obsolete) Opportunity, chance.
Skill, dexterity, facility.
Comfort, a state or quality lacking unpleasantness, particularly
Freedom from pain, hardship, and annoyance, sometimes (pejorative, archaic) idleness, sloth.
Freedom from worry and concern; peace; sometimes (pejorative, archaic) indifference.
Freedom from difficulty.
Freedom from effort, leisure, rest.
Freedom from financial effort or worry; affluence.
Freedom from embarrassment or awkwardness; grace.
Relief, an end to discomfort, particularly
Followed by of or from: release from or reduction of pain, hardship, or annoyance.
(euphemistic, obsolete) Release from intestinal discomfort: defecation.
Release from constraint, obligation, or a constrained position.
(clothing) Additional space provided to allow greater movement.
(obsolete) A convenience; a luxury.
(obsolete) A relief; an easement.
Synonyms
• (ability): ability, dexterity, facility, skill
• (comfort): comfort, peace
• (freedom from worry): peace of mind
• (freedom from effort): free time, leisure, relaxation, rest
Verb
ease (third-person singular simple present eases, present participle easing, simple past and past participle eased)
(transitive) To free (something) from pain, worry, agitation, etc.
(transitive) To alleviate, assuage or lessen (pain).
(transitive) To give respite to (someone).
(nautical, transitive) To loosen or slacken the tension on a line.
(transitive) To reduce the difficulty of (something).
(transitive) To move (something) slowly and carefully.
(intransitive) To lessen in severity.
(intransitive) To proceed with little effort.
Synonyms
• (free (something) from pain, worry, agitation, etc): assuage, salve
• (alleviate, assuage or lessen (pain)): allay, alleviate, assuage, lessen, reduce
• (give respite to (someone)): give someone a break (informal), lay off (informal)
• (loosen or slacken the tension on (something)): loosen, relax, slacken
• (reduce the difficulty of (something)): facilitate, simplify
• (lessen in severity): lessen, reduce
• (proceed with little effort): cruise
Source: Wiktionary
Ease, n. Etym: [OE. ese, eise, F. aise; akin to Pr. ais, aise, OIt.
asio, It. agio; of uncertain origin; cf. L. ansa handle, occasion,
opportunity. Cf. Agio, Disease.]
1. Satisfaction; pleasure; hence, accommodation; entertainment.
[Obs.]
They him besought Of harbor and or ease as for hire penny. Chaucer.
2. Freedom from anything that pains or troubles; as: (a) Relief from
labor or effort; rest; quiet; relaxation; as, ease of body.
Usefulness comes by labor, wit by ease. Herbert.
Give yourself ease from the fatigue of watching. Swift.
(b) Freedom from care, solicitude, or anything that annoys or
disquiets; tranquillity; peace; comfort; security; as, ease of mind.
Among these nations shalt thou find no ease. Deut. xxviii. 65.
Take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. Luke xii. 19.
(c) Freedom from constraint, formality, difficulty, embarrassment,
etc.; facility; liberty; naturalness; -- said of manner, style, etc.;
as, ease of style, of behavior, of address.
True ease in writing comes from art, not chance. Pope.
Whate'er he did was done with so much ease, In him alone 't was
natural to please. Dryden.
At ease, free from pain, trouble, or anxiety. "His soul shall dwell
at ease." Ps. xxv. 12.
– Chapel of ease. See under Chapel.
– Ill at ease, not at ease, disquieted; suffering; anxious.
– To stand at ease (Mil.), to stand in a comfortable attitude in
one's place in the ranks.
– With ease, easily; without much effort.
Syn.
– Rest; quiet; repose; comfortableness; tranquility; facility;
easiness; readiness.
Ease, v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Eased; p. pr. & vb. n. Easing.] Etym:
[OE. esen, eisen, OF. aisier. See Ease, n.]
1. To free from anything that pains, disquiets, or oppresses; to
relieve from toil or care; to give rest, repose, or tranquility to; -
- often with of; as, to ease of pain; ease the body or mind.
Eased [from] the putting off These troublesome disguises which we
wear. Milton.
Sing, and I 'll ease thy shoulders of thy load. Dryden.
2. To render less painful or oppressive; to mitigate; to alleviate.
My couch shall ease my complaint. Job vii. 13.
3. To release from pressure or restraint; to move gently; to lift
slightly; to shift a little; as, to ease a bar or nut in machinery.
4. To entertain; to furnish with accommodations. [Obs.] Chaucer. To
ease off, To ease away (Naut.), to slacken a rope gradually.
– To ease a ship (Naut.), to put the helm hard, or regulate the
sail, to prevent pitching when closehauled.
– To ease the helm (Naut.), to put the helm more nearly amidships,
to lessen the effect on the ship, or the strain on the wheel rope.
Ham. Nav. Encyc.
Syn.
– To relieve; disburden; quiet; calm; tranquilize; assuage;
alleviate; allay; mitigate; appease; pacify.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition