Encombraunce

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An archaic spelling of a burden or obstacle that weighs someone down ; a lien or legal claim attached to a piece of property
2. A heavy load or hindrance that slows a person down ; a mortgage, lien or other legal claim held against land or goods
3. Something that burdens or impedes movement or progress ; a debt, lien or charge that is attached to property and limits its ownership

Etymology: In Old French, "encombrer" meant to block a road or hinder someone's movement. It likely came from a Late Latin word for a barrier of felled trees, so the earliest sense was a physical obstruction across a path. The Middle English "encombraunce" is the old spelling of the noun that carried this sense into English as a hindrance or impediment. Over time, the idea of being blocked turned into the idea of being weighed down. An obstacle could be a heap of logs or a tangle of goods, and a burden could be a debt or a duty. English kept both senses. The verb "cumber" is a shortened form of the same French verb, which is why "cumber" and "encumber" are related, though "cumber" is now mostly literary.

Synonyms: encumbrance, burden, hindrance, impediment, obstacle

Antonyms: aid, help, assistance, relief