encumbrance

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: en=cum=brance

CIDE DICTIONARY

encumbrance, n. [Cf. OF. encombrance. Cf. Incumbrance.].

•  That which encumbers; a burden which impedes action, or renders it difficult and laborious; a clog; an impediment. See Incumbrance.  [1913 Webster]
•  Same as Incumbrance.

Syn. -- Burden; clog; impediment; check; hindrance.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

encumbrance, n.
1 a burden.
2 an impediment.
3 a mortgage or other charge on property.
4 an annoyance.

Idiom

without encumbrance having no children.

Etymology

ME f. OF encombrance (as ENCUMBER)

THESAURUS

encumbrance

affliction, albatross, bale, bitter cup, bitter draft, bitter draught, bitter pill, burden, burden of care, burdening, burthen, cankerworm of care, care, cargo, charge, charging, client, clog, cross, crown of thorns, cumber, cumbrance, curse, deadweight, dependent, difficulty, disadvantage, distress, drag, embarrassment, freight, gall, gall and wormwood, grievance, hamper, handicap, hardship, hindrance, impedance, impediment, impedimenta, imposition, inconvenience, incubus, incumbency, infliction, lading, liability, load, loading, lumber, millstone, obstacle, obstruction, onus, oppression, overload, overtaxing, overweighting, pack, pack of troubles, peck of troubles, penalty, pensionary, pensioner, pressure, protege, public charge, saddling, sea of troubles, sorrow, superincumbency, surcharge, taxing, thorn, trouble, ward, waters of bitterness, weight, white elephant, woe

ROGET THESAURUS

encumbrance

Hindrance

N hindrance, prevention, preclusion, obstruction, stoppage, embolus, embolism, infarct, interruption, interception, interclusion, hindrance, impedition, retardment, retardation, embarrassment, oppilation, coarctation, stricture, restriction, restraint, inhibition, blockade, interference, interposition, obtrusion, discouragement, discountenance, impediment, let, obstacle, obstruction, knot, knag, check, hitch, contretemps, screw loose, grit in the oil, bar, stile, barrier, turnstile, turnpike, gate, portcullis, beaver dam, trocha, barricade, wall, dead wall, sea wall, levee breakwater, groyne, bulkhead, block, buffer, stopper, boom, dam, weir, burrock, drawback, objection, stumbling-block, stumbling-stone, lion in the path, snag, snags and sawyers, encumbrance, incumbrance, clog, skid, shoe, spoke, drag, drag chain, drag weight, stay, stop, preventive, prophylactic, load, burden, fardel, onus, millstone round one's neck, impedimenta, dead weight, lumber, pack, nightmare, Ephialtes, incubus, old man of the sea, remora, difficulty, insuperable, obstacle, estoppel, ill wind, head wind, trammel, tether, hold back, counterpoise, damper, wet blanket, hinderer, marplot, killjoy, party pooper, party crasher, interloper, trail of a red herring, opponent, hindering, obstructive, obstruent, impeditive, impedient, intercipient, prophylactic, impedimentary, in the way of, unfavorable, onerous, burdensome, cumbrous, cumbersome, obtrusive, hindered, windbound, waterlogged, heavy laden, hard pressed, unassisted &c (assist), single-handed, alone, deserted, occurrent nubes.