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Easement
Definitions
- 1 An interest in land which grants the legal right to use another person's real property (real estate), generally in order to cross a part of the property or to gain access to something on the property (right of way). countable, uncountable
"The power company has an easement to put their electricity poles along the edge of this land."
- 2 the act of reducing something unpleasant (as pain or annoyance) wordnet
- 3 An element such as a baseboard, handrail, etc., that is curved instead of abruptly changing direction. countable, uncountable
"The curved part of the rail where it joins the newel is called an easement. Often, however, the rail joins the newel without an easement."
- 4 (law) the privilege of using something that is not your own (as using another's land as a right of way to your own land) wordnet
- 5 Easing; relief; assistance; support. archaic, countable, uncountable
"There are alſo many Deſerts, and many mountains diſioyning the prouinces farre aſſunder. Heerin it reſembleth Spain, where for want of Nauigable riuers (except towards the ſeacoaſt) trafficke is little vſed, and mountains and prouinces lie vnmanured for ſcarcity of moiſture. But Nature vnwilling that humaine life ſhould want any eaſement, hath ſo prouided for mutual commerce in theſe ſandy and barren places, that thorough the labour of Camels, the want of Nauigation is richly recompenced throughout Persia, and the bordering contries."
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- 6 The act of relieving oneself: defecating or urinating. archaic, countable, euphemistic, uncountable
"[T]he lowest servants at Hampton Court used the great communal toilet capable of seating fourteen people at once named the ‘Common Jakes’ or the ‘Great House of Easement’. This giant facility discharged into a tank which was washed clean by the waters of the moat. Even so, the tank emitted a dreadful smell and frequently had to be scrubbed clean."
- 7 Transition spiral curve track between a straight or tangent track and a circular curved track of a certain radius or selected radius. countable, uncountable
- 8 Gratification. countable, uncountable
Etymology
From Anglo-Norman aisement, easement, eisement, esament, esement, and Middle French aisement (“comfort, convenience, ease, facility, opportunity; a benefit, relief; a right to use land, a thing, etc.; a privy”), from aisier (“to put at ease; to facilitate”) + -ment (“-ment, suffix forming nouns, usually the action or state resulting from verbs”).
See also for "easement"
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