Emburden

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To place a heavy load or responsibility upon someone or something, weighing them down with trouble or care
2. To weigh down with a burden, making a person or thing carry an oppressive weight of duty or hardship
3. To load with cares, obligations or a heavy weight, so that someone or something is laden and oppressed

Etymology: "Emburden" is a plain formation: the prefix "em-" attached to "burden." The prefix, from French "en-" (itself from Latin "in-"), carries the sense of putting something into or onto a state, so to emburden is to load or weigh down with a burden. The base word "burden" comes from Old English "byrthen," a noun meaning something carried, and it is closely related to "bear" in its sense of carrying a load. The pattern is a familiar one in English. Verbs such as "enable," "encase," and "enrich" follow the same model of adding "em-" or "en-" to a noun or adjective to turn it into a verb of putting something into a condition. "Emburden" is simply one member of that family, meaning to make heavy with a load, and its meaning follows directly from the parts.

Synonyms: burden, encumber, load, weigh down, saddle

Antonyms: relieve, unburden, lighten