disencumber

American  

[dis-en-kuhm-ber] / ˌdɪs ɛnˈkʌm bər /

verb (used with object)

1. to free from a burden or other encumbrance; disburden.

   Synonyms:

   unburden, disembarrass, disentangle

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disencumber British  

/ ˌdɪsɪnˈkʌmbə /

verb

1. (tr) to free from encumbrances

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Other Word Forms

• disencumberment
  noun

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Etymology

Origin of disencumber

1590–1600; < Middle French desencombrer, equivalent to des- dis- ¹ + encombrer to encumber

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Explanation

To free someone from a burden or difficult situation is to disencumber them. You might try to disencumber yourself from the responsibility of walking the dog by bribing your sister to do it. Want to make your life less complicated or otherwise free yourself from some obstacle? You need to disencumber yourself. Things from which people disencumber themselves tend to be obligations, guilt, relationships, and other complexities of life. Disencumber comes from the verb encumber and its Latin source combrus, "barricade or obstacle."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

disencumber

Yang’s resignation from the boards of Alibaba and Yahoo Japan should disencumber negotiations around a potential deal for those assets, a positive for the stock.

From Forbes ● Jan. 18, 2012

It had saved the estate in the days when he had been almost beaten in the struggle to disencumber the vast holdings Isaac Travers' wide hands had grasped.

From The Turtles of Tasman by Jack London

I now entreated the men to disencumber themselves of a portion of the loads which they were attempting to carry.

From Journals of Two Expeditions of Discovery in North-West and Western Australia, Volume 2 by George Grey

It is not so easily persuaded to disencumber us.

From The Sea and the Jungle by H. M. (Henry Major) Tomlinson

Free, liberate, emancipate, manumit, release, disengage, disentangle, disembarrass, disencumber, extricate.

From The Century Vocabulary Builder by Joseph M. (Joseph Morris) Bachelor

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