encumber

• incumber (archaic)

From Middle English encombren, from Old French encombrer, from en- + combrer (“to hinder”); see cumber.

• IPA^(key): /ɪnˈkʌmbə(ɹ)/, /ɛnˈkʌmbə(ɹ)/
• Rhymes: -ʌmbə(ɹ)

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encumber (third-person singular simple present encumbers, present participle encumbering, simple past and past participle encumbered)

1. (transitive) To load down something with a burden.
2. (transitive) To restrict or block something with a hindrance or impediment.
   • 1906 – 1921, John Galsworthy, “Encounter”, in The Forsyte Saga, volume 1:

     He [Timothy Forsyte] had never committed the imprudence of marrying or encumbering himself in any way with children.

3. (transitive) To burden with a legal claim or other obligation.

• See also Thesaurus:hinder

• disencumber, unload, unencumber

• encumber in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• “encumber”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• Douglas Harper (2001–2023), “encumber”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.