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encumber

/ɪnˈkʌmbə(ɹ)/ verb

verb Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about encumber at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

  1. Restrict (someone or something) so as to make free movement difficult.

Origin

From Middle English encombren, from Old French encombrer, from en- + combrer (“to hinder”) (See cumber). By surface analysis, en- + cumber.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)