encrease

encrease (plural encreases)

1. Obsolete spelling of increase
   • 1732, Paul de Rapin-Thoyras, The History of England:

     All counties, hundreds, wapentakes and trethings , shall stand at the old ferm, without any encrease, except in our Demesne Lands

encrease (third-person singular simple present encreases, present participle encreasing, simple past and past participle encreased)

1. Obsolete spelling of increase
   • 1651, Roger Boyle, 1st Earl of Orrery, Parthenissa:

     […] the coldness of her lover, the loss of her reputation, all contributed to make her miserable, and to encrease the frenzical disposition of her mind.

   • 1887, Sir William Hedges; Sir Henry Yule, The Diary of William Hedges, Esq.:

     I saw ye Taffaties and Atlasses in ye warehouse, and gave directions concerning their severall colours and stripes, ordering Mr. Charnock to use his best endeavours to encrease their quantity; […]

• encrease in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913