Also 4 eyse-, 4–5 esement, 5 esmint, -ment, aysyament, (6 hesement), 6–8 eas-, 7 aisment. [a. OF. aisement, f. ais-ier, EASE v.: See -MENT; cf. Anglo-Lat. aisiamentum.]
1. The process or means of giving or obtaining ease or relief from pain, discomfort, or anything annoying or burdensome; relief, alleviation; † redress of grievances. Now somewhat rare.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Reeve’s T., 259. Some esement has lawe yshapen us.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 7988. We exiled for euermore our easement to laite.
1583. Golding, Calvin on Deut., xviii. 105/2. In sted of easement he findeth himself tormented dubble.
1640–9. Sir B. Rudyard, in Rushw., Hist. Coll., III. (1692), I. 26. They must … be eased in their … Goods, from the exactions … of Pursevants [etc.]…. And if the People have all these easements, yet if [etc.].
1796. Burke, Let. Noble Ld., Wks. 1842, II. 260/1. I certainly stand in need of every kind of relief and easement much more than he does.
1840. W. Howitt, Visits Remark. Places, 200. Seeking a little easement of their swollen purses.
1876. Bancroft, Hist. U. S., III. ix. 404–5. He promised its reduction to three shillings in the pound, an easement to the landed interest of five hundred thousand pounds.
† b. Dogs of easement: dogs employed to take up the chase in place of those that are spent. Obs.
1616. Surfl. & Markh., Countrey Farme, 692. Then also you must let slip some of your fresh dogs, or dogs of easement.
† c. spec. The relieving of the body by evacuation of excrement; concr., a privy. Phrases, House, stool of easement; to do one’s easement. Obs.
c. 1430. Life St. Kath. (1884), 43. Schal þey [children] not … make me foule wyth her kyndely esement.
1513. Bk. Keruynge, in Babees Bk. (1868), 283. & se the hous of hesement be swete & clene.
1555. W. Watreman, Fardle Facions, I. v. C viij. In the easemente of vrine, the men rowked doune.
1580. Hollyband, Treas. Fr. Tong, Aller à la selle, to go to the stoole of easement.
1634. H. R., Salerne’s Regim., 3. Doing his Easement.
1712. J. Digby, trans. Epicurus’s Morals, 124. The Souldiers who kill’d him, found him in a House of Easement.
† d. spec. Refreshment by food and repose; hence, comfortable accommodation, food and lodging; ‘entertainment for man or beast.’ Obs.
c. 1400. Ywaine & Gaw., 3384. He had ful nobil rest, With alkins esment of the best.
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., clxx. 155. He wold not abyde in scotland in wynter season for esement of his peple.
15[?]. Eger & Grine, 235, in Furniv., Percy Folio, I. 361. Easment for me and my hackney.
1523. Firzherb., Surv., i. (1539), 5. A place of easement to put in cattel.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot., I. 93. Meit and drink, fyre, claithis and easment.
1820. Scott, Monast., II. 94. He might have had less to complain of in respect of easements.
2. Advantage, convenience, comfort; furtherance, assistance; formerly also, gratification, enjoyment. † Common easement: something done for the public benefit. arch. or Obs.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 3338. A place onestly ordainit for esmint of hir.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., VII. viii. 772. Wyth þare possessyounys and þare Rentis Wyth wont Fredomys and Aysyamentis.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., I. xx. 120. Into esement of him silf and also of his neiȝbour, a man mai singe, pleie, and lauȝe vertuoseli.
1581. W. Stafford, Exam. Compl., i. 4 a. Ye reparation of such wayes, brydges, and other common easements.
1601. R. Johnson, Kingd. & Commw. (1603), 212. Nature vnwilling that humane life shoulde want any easement, hath … prouided … the labour of cammels.
1791. Smeaton, Edystone L., § 283. To leave our … loose materials, stowed away in the store-room,… was indeed a great easement to us.
1818. Scott, Hrt. Midl., xxxvii. I had the cast of a horse from Ferrybridge—and divers other easements.
b. concr. Something that serves for an assistance or convenience; e.g., accommodation in or about a house, as rooms, sheds, or farm buildings.
c. 1400. Maundev., xix. 214. Schippes … made with Halles & Chambres and other eysementes.
1502. Arnolde, Chron. (1811), 138. Easmentis fixed vnto houses or to soile.
1609. Skene, Reg. Maj., Act Robt. I., 26. That nane of them [our subjects] sall … carie … anie kind of armour: or horse, or other aismentis, to the comon enemies of our Realme.
1703. Maundrell, Journ. Jerus., 28. The Service being sometimes so long, that they cannot well stay it out without the assistance of such easements.
1771. Smollett, Humph. Cl., II. 48. The bills in their houses [in Scotland] say they have different easements to let.
3. The right or privilege of using something not one’s own; esp. in Law. (See quot.)
1463. Bury Wills (1850), 22. I wille the seid Jenete terme of hire lyff haue esement of the kechene to make in hire mete, and esement of the welle in ye yeerd.
1598. Kitchen, Courts Leet (1675), 210. A Way or other thing of easement.
1607. Cowell, Interpr., Easement, (esamentum) is a seruice that one neighbour hath of another by charter or prescription, without profite, as a way through his ground, a sinke, or such like.
1876. Digby, Real Prop., iii. 154. If the purposes for which the land of another are used merely tend to the more convenient enjoyment of another piece of land, the right is called an easement.
