Now rare. Also incumberment. [a. OF. encombrement: see ENCUMBER v. and -MENT.]

1

  1.  The action of encumbering; the state or fact of being encumbered.

2

c. 1330.  R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 148. God … Saued þam alle þo tymes fro þer encumberment.

3

a. 1619.  Daniel, Coll. Hist. Eng. (1626), 98. Their numbers growing so great, as bred many incomberments.

4

1678.  Cudworth, Intell. Syst., 151. Subjecting him [the Deity] to Sollicitous Encumberment.

5

1854.  Tait’s Mag., XXI. 454. Escaping from the rich encumberment of the metropolitan port.

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1877.  Daily News, 3 Dec., 6/6. Droves of cattle, flocks of sheep and goats add to the incumberment of the way.

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  † b.  Contextually used for: Satanic temptation. Obs. Cf. ENCUMBER v. 3 c.

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c. 1330.  Arth. & Merl., 706. It was … The deuels foule encumbrement.

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15[?].  Merlin, 645, in Furniv., Percy Folio, I. 442. Thorrow the ffeendes incomberment.

10

  † c.  Molestation, disturbance. Obs.

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1509.  Hawes, Past. Pleas., 14. Without Saturnus blacke encombrement.

12

1596.  Spenser, F. Q., VI. viii. 38. To let her Sleepe out her fill without encomberment.

13

  † d.  Misfortune, mishap. Obs.

14

c. 1440.  Gesta Rom., 129. I have thorowe Encomberment slayne a man, and he is here with me.

15

  † 2.  concr. Something that encumbers; = ENCUMBRANCE. Obs.

16

1600.  Abp. Abbot, Exp. Jonah, 634. Let vs shake off all incumberments.

17

1660.  H. More, Myst. Godl., To Rdr. 29. Devested of those many encumberments of humane inventions both false and useless. Ibid. (1664), Myst. Iniq., iii. 8. A troublesome and useless incumberment upon Christianity.

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