cumber

• POS: Noun, Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: cum=ber

CIDE DICTIONARY

cumber, v. t. [OE. combren, cumbren,OF. combrer to hinder, from LL. cumbrus a heap, fr. L. cumulus; cf. Skr. to increase, grow strong. Cf. Cumulate.].

 To rest upon as a troublesome or useless weight or load; to be burdensome or oppressive to; to hinder or embarrass in attaining an object, to obstruct or occupy uselessly; to embarrass; to trouble.  [1913 Webster]
"Why asks he what avails him not in fight,
And would but cumber and retard his flight?"  [1913 Webster]
"Martha was cumbered about much serving."  [1913 Webster]
"Cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?"  [1913 Webster]
"The multiplying variety of arguments, especially frivolous ones, . . . but cumbers the memory."  [1913 Webster]

cumber, n. [Cf. encombre hindrance, impediment. See Cuber,v.].

 Trouble; embarrassment; distress.  [1913 Webster]
"A place of much distraction and cumber."  [1913 Webster]
"Sage counsel in cumber."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

cumber, v. & n.
--v.tr. literary hamper, hinder, inconvenience.
--n. a hindrance, obstruction, or burden.

Etymology

ME, prob. f. ENCUMBER

ROGET THESAURUS

cumber

Hindrance

VB hinder, impede, filibuster, impedite, embarrass, keep off, stave off, ward off, obviate, avert, antevert, turn aside, draw off, prevent, forefend, nip in the bud, retard, slacken, check, let, counteract, countercheck, preclude, debar, foreclose, estop, inhibit, shackle, restrict, obstruct, stop, stay, bar, bolt, lock, block, block up, choke off, belay, barricade, block the way, bar the way, stop the way, forelay, dam up, put on the brake, scotch the wheel, lock the wheel, put a spoke in the wheel, put a stop to, traverse, contravene, interrupt, intercept, oppose, hedge in, hedge round, cut off, inerclude, interpose, interfere, intermeddle, cramp, hamper, clog, clog the wheels, cumber, encumber, incumber, handicap, choke, saddle with, load with, overload, lay, lumber, trammel, tie one's hands, put to inconvenience, incommode, discommode, discompose, hustle, corner, drive into a corner, run foul of, fall foul of, cross the path of, break in upon, thwart, frustrate, disconcert, balk, foil, faze, feaze, feeze, baffle, snub, override, circumvent, defeat, spike guns, spoil, mar, clip the wings of, cripple, put an extinguisher on, damp, dishearten, discountenance, throw cold water on, spoil sport, lay a wet blanket, throw a wet blanket on, cut the ground from under one, take the wind out of one's sails, undermine, be in the way of, stand in the way of, act as a drag, hang like a millstone round one's neck.

Gravity

VB be heavy, gravitate, weigh, press, cumber, load, weigh, poise.