n. [ 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. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

They him besought
Of harbor and or ease as for hire penny. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Freedom from anything that pains or troubles; as: (a) Relief from labor or effort; rest; quiet; relaxation; as, ease of body. [ 1913 Webster ]

Usefulness comes by labor, wit by ease. Herbert. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Among these nations shalt thou find no ease. Deut. xxviii. 65. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

True ease in writing comes from art, not chance. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

Whate'er he did was done with so much ease,
In him alone 't was natural to please. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

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; tranquillity; facility; easiness; readiness. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. & i. [ imp. & p. p. Eased p. pr. & vb. n. Easing. ] [ 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 tranquillity to; -- often with of; as, to ease of pain; to ease the body or mind. [ 1913 Webster ]

Eased [ from ] the putting off
These troublesome disguises which we wear. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Sing, and I 'll ease thy shoulders of thy load. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To render less painful or oppressive; to mitigate; to alleviate. [ 1913 Webster ]

My couch shall ease my complaint. Job vii. 13. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To entertain; to furnish with accommodations. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. made less severe or intense; mitigated.
Syn. -- alleviated, relieved. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. Full of ease; suitable for affording ease or rest; quiet; comfortable; restful. Shak. -- Ease"ful*ly, adv. -- Ease"ful*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ D. ezel ass, donkey, hence, easel, or G. esel; akin to E. ass. See Ass. ] A frame (commonly) of wood serving to hold a canvas upright, or nearly upright, for the painter's convenience or for exhibition. [ 1913 Webster ]

Easel picture,
Easel piece, a painting of moderate size such as is made while resting on an easel, as distinguished from a painting on a wall or ceiling. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Without ease. Donne. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. aisement. See Ease, n. ] 1. That which gives ease, relief, or assistance; convenience; accommodation. [ 1913 Webster ]

In need of every kind of relief and easement. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Law) A liberty, privilege, or advantage, which one proprietor has in the estate of another proprietor, distinct from the ownership of the soil, as a way, water course, etc. It is a species of what the civil law calls servitude. Kent. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Arch.) A curved member instead of an abrupt change of direction, as in a baseboard, hand rail, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]