cumber 
lish (linl romp, i-iicoiiibre = \'t. < iicnniliri- = It. 
iiii/iin/lini, hindrance, embarrassment, distress, 
verbal II. (cf. di'coiiiliri-s, rubbish), < ciicombrcr, 
etc.: MM' IHCII/II/III-). same as OK. i-ii;/i/r, a heap, 
to|i. SMiniiiit (sec rumble), = I'g. combro, Comoro, 
.1 heap of earth, = 1'r. coiinil, heap; ML. (<OK., 
etc.) eouibni, ciimbra, an obstruction in a river 
to catch fish, fombri, pi. <if eonilir/m, a heap of 
felled trees obstructing a road, eoiiiblutt, a heap ; 
hence (< M-L. 'eiiHibrux, comhrux) MUG. kuni- 
lier, rubbish, burden, oppression, trouble, need, 
G. Dan. hummer, trouble, grief, G. dial, rub- 
bish. = I), kommer, trouble, grief, dung of a 
liarc ; all ult. < L. cumuluM, a heap : see cumu- 
lus. For the change of m to mb, cf. number, 
eliniiilier, etc. ; for the change of I to r, cf. chap- 
ter.} If. That which cumbers; a burden; a 
hindrance ; an obstruction. 
Thus fade thy helps, and thus thy eumbtn spring. 
Fairfax, tr. of Tasso, ii. 73. 
Tin- stoolcs & other comber are remov'il wlieli y assem- 
bly risen. Evelyn, Diary, March 1, 1644. 
2. Embarrassment; disturbance ; distress ; trou- 
ble. [Archaic.] 
fleet foot on the correl, 
Sa^'r counsel in cumh< r, 
licil hand in the foray, 
How sound is thy slumber! 
s,:,il, ].. of the I,., iii. 16. 
cnmberground (kum'ber-ground), ii. [< cum- 
lii'i; c., + obj. ground 1 .'] Anything worthless. 
Mackaif. 
cumberless (kum'ber-les), a. [< cumber, ., + 
-less.] Free from care, distress, or encum- 
brance. [Rare.] 
Bird of the wilderness, 
blithesome and cumberless. 
Hngy, The Skylark. 
cumbermentt, . [< ME. comberment. combur- 
ment ; < cumber + -mcnt. Cf. cncumoerment.] 
Same as cumber. 
Who-so wole liaue henen to his hire, 
Kepe lie him from the deui'lis combirmmt. 
Hymns tu Virgin, ete. (E. E. T. .), p. 5. 
cumbersome (kum'ber-sum), a. [< cumber + 
-xiime.] 1. Burdensome; troublesome; em- 
barrassing; vexatious: as, "cumbersome obe- 
dience," iS'tr P. Sidney. 
God guard tis all, and guide us to our last Home thro' 
the Briars of this cumbersome Life. Hvieell, Letters, ii. 53. 
2. Inconvenient ; awkward ; unwieldy ; un- 
manageable ; not easily borne or managed : 
as, a cumbersome load ; a cumbersome machine. 
The weapons of natural reason . . . are as the armour 
of Saul, rather cumbersome about the soldier of Christ 
than necilfull. Hooter, Eccles. Polity, iii. 8. 
cumbersomely (kum'ber-sum-li), adv. In a 
cumbersome manner. 
Humane [human) art arts upon the mutter from without 
ncmforaMM^ and moliininously, with tumult and hnrli- 
burly. Cttdwtrrth, Intellectual System, p. 179. 
cumbersomeness (kum'ber-sum-nes), n. The 
quality of being cumbersome or troublesome. 
cumber-worldt (kum'ber-werld), . [< ME. 
eoiiibre-icorlil : < cumber, V., + obj. world.] Any- 
thing or any person that encumbers the world 
without being useful. 
A MMtcr-worU, yet in the world am left, 
A fruitless plot with brambles overgrown. 
Draytun, Eclogues, il. 
CUlubi (kum'bi), n. [S. Amer.] A superior 
kind of cloth made in Peru and Bolivia from the 
wool of the alpaca. 
cumblet, [v OF. comble, aheap, top, summit, 
F. comble, top, summit, < L. cumulus, a heap: 
see cumber, n., and cumulus.'] Top; summit; 
culmination. 
But this word Souverain, clean contrary, hath raised it- 
self to that cum blc of greatness, that it is now applied only 
to the king. lltneell, Kpist. Ded. to Cotgrave's Diet. 
cumbly (kum'bli), n. In India, a coarse woolen 
wrap or blanket worn as a cloak in wet weather. 
Also spelled eouibly and cumin. 
The Natives quivering anil quaking after Sunset, wrap- 
ping themselves in a Combly or Hair-cloth. 
Fryer, New Aecount of East India and Persia, p. 54. 
cumbrancet (kum'brans), . [< ME. cumbratutc, 
comliranxc, combrninixe. comliraiiuce, by apher- 
esis from encumbrance, q. v.] 1. That which 
cumbers or encumbers; an encumbrance; a 
hindrance ; an embarrassment. 
!'> due proportion measuring ev'ry pace-. 
T a\ui.l the I'lnnlirditi-i' of earh hindering doubt. 
tfrttitti'ti. llanms' Wars. 
The two kinns. fur the minlmim f their tmines, were 
rimstrainol t<> ilissnuT themselues for time of their jour- 
ney. HMuijfs Voijaijes, II. 21. 
1395 
2. The state of being cumbered, overburdened, 
obstructed, hindered, or perplexed; cumber; 
trouble. 
I'uldc care and cuinbrami" t* rome to oils alle. 
Piers rinii-uHiii (I'), Hi. 278. 
IMr rot* 1 that she was In clad was BO grcte that fur >m- 
kraunre she myght not a-rtse. Merlin (K. E. T. S.), ii. -its. 
Cumbrian (kum'bri-an), n. [< Cumbria, Latin- 
ized name of I 'mi/In Htinil.] Of or pertaining to 
the early medieval British principality or king- 
dom of Cumbria or Strathclyde, or to Cumber- 
land, a northern county of England, which con- 
stituted a part of it. 
cumbrous (kum'brus), a. [< ME. combrous, 
I'niiihi runs, comerous; < cumber, n., + -mis.} 1. 
Burdensome; hindering or obstructing; ren- 
dering action difficult or toilsome; clogging; 
cumbersome. 
The lane was full thikke and coinberouse to come vp or 
down for the rokkes. Merlin (E. E. T. S.), til. 464. 
Swift to their several quarters hasted then 
The cumbrous elements, earth, flood, air, fire. 
MiUon, P. L., !ii. 715. 
The processes by which that evolution (of organized be- 
ings} takes place are long, cumbrous, and wasteful pro- 
cesses of natural selection and hereditary descent. 
r. K. Clifford, Lectures, I. 213. 
2. Causing trouble or annoyance; trouble- 
some ; vexatious. 
A cloud of cumbrous gnattes doe him molest. 
Spenser, F. Q., I. i. 23. 
3. Difficult to use ; characterized by unwieldi- 
ness or clumsiness ; ungainly ; clumsy. 
The cumbrous and unwieldy style which disfigures Eng- 
lish composition so extensively. De Quintey, Style. 
It |a shipl had a ruined dignity, a cumbrous grandeur, 
although its masts were shattered, and its sails rent. 
6. W. Curtis, Prue and I, p. 90. 
cumbrously (kum'brus-li), adv. In a cum- 
brous manner. 
Capitals to every substantive are cumbroujtly intrusive 
upon the eye. Seward, Letters, i. 164. 
cumbrousness (kum'brus-nes), n. The char- 
acter or quality of being cumbrous. 
CUmene (kum'en), n. [< L. cum(inum), cumin, 
+ -cne.] Same as cumol. 
cumfortt, ('. and . A former spelling of comfort. 
cumfortablet, a. A former spelling of comfort- 
able. 
cumfrey, . See comfrcy. 
cum grano sails (kum gra'np sa'lis). [L.,lit. 
with a grain of salt: cum, with; grano, abl. of 
granum, grain (= E. corn) ; salts, gen. of sal, 
salt : see com-, grain, sal, salt 1 ."] With a slight 
qualification ; with some allowance ; not as lit- 
erally true : as, to accept a statement cum gra- 
no salts. 
cumic (kum'ik), a. [< cum(in) + -ic.] Derived 
from or pertaining to cumin Cumic acid, Ci 
II i .''-.. an acid prepared from the oil of cuniin, forming 
colorless tabular crystals, which may be sublimed without 
decomposition. 
cumin, cummin (kum'in), n. [Early mod. E. 
reg. cummin, < ME. cummin, comin, < AS. cumin, 
ei/men, cymin = D. komijn = MLG. komen, ka- 
mcn, komin, kamin, Teamen = OHG. eliumin, cu- 
min, also chumil, MHG. kiimel, G. kilmmel (OHG. 
also chumi, cumi, also chumidi, cumicn, MHG. 
kn micli, kumich, G. dial, kuntmich) = Sw. bum- 
mi* = Dan. knmmen, cumin, caraway, = OF. 
comin, cumin, F. cumin = Sp. Pg. eomino = It. 
comino, cumino = ORuss. kjuminu, Buss, kimi- 
, kminu, tminu = Serv. komin = Bohem. Pol. 
kinin = Lith. kminai = Albanian kjimino = 
Hung, komeny, < L. cumiitmn, ci/minum, < Gr. 
niutvov, < Heb. kammon, Ar. kammun, cumin, 
cumin-seed.] 1. A fennel-like umbelliferous 
plant, Cuminum Cyminum. It is an annual, found 
wild in Egypt and Syria, and cultivated time out of mind 
for the sake of its fruit. See def. 2. 
Now >'ii,,i>ni and aneyse is fatte ysowe 
In dounged lande and weeded wel txj growe. 
Palladia*, Husbondrie (E. E. T. S.), p. 86. 
2. The fruitof this plant, commonly called CHIH- 
in-xrcd. This fruit is agreeably aromatic, and, like that of 
caraway, dill, anise, etc., possesses well-marked stimulat- 
ing and carminative properties. It is used in India as a 
condiment and as a constituent of curry-powder. 
\Voe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites ! for ye 
pay tithe of mint and anise ami cummin. ;unl lum- i-mitti-d 
the weightier matters of the law, judgment, merry, and 
faith. Mat. xxiii. .!::. 
3. A name of several plants of other genera. 
Black cuniin, the pungent seeds of .v i.iriin sittim. Es- 
sence Of cuniin, a substance obtained from cumin-seeds. 
It contains curninol and rymrne. a hydrrH-arlMHi (Cj o Hi4) 
and a terpenc- (l'i,iHn;).- : Oil Of cumin, an "vvncnati-d 
essential oil obtainc.t from the seeds of rniniii. Sr. <-tn,i- 
inol. - Sweet cumin, the anise. I'inii'inella Anunim. 
Wild cuniin, the /.-I-MV/./ cwi //.(, a low umbellif- 
erous plant of southeastern Europe. 
cumulative 
cuminol (kum'i-nol), . |< </, + -/, < 1,. 
<////.] A colorless oil ((',,,11 ,._,< I), cumin (,,r 
cumyl) aldehyde, obtained from the seeds of 
cumin. It has an agreeable odor and a burning taste, ID 
lighter than water, and boils at a ti mp* rature of i::o K, 
cumlingt, . Same as emiie/iiii/. 
cumly't, ". An obsolete spelling of comtli/. 
CUmly'^, I'. See cuiiibly. 
cummer (kum'er), . [Sc., also kiiuiinr: see 
ki miner and mmmere.'} t. A gossip; a friend 
or an acimaiiitance. 
A canty quean was Kate, and a siH'cial cuintitrr of my 
ain may be twenty years syne. Scult, .Monastery, viil. 
2. Any woman; specifically, a girl or young 
woman. 3. A midwife. i. A witch, 
cummerbund, kamarband (kum'er-bund), n. 
[Anglo-Ind. cumwrbiniil, Hind. prop, knmiir- 
band, < kamar, the loins, + band, also batidh, a 
band, tie, < Skt. ij bandit, tie, = E. 6i</', q. v.] 
A shawl, or large and loose sash, worn as a belt. 
Such a waist-band is a common part of East Indian cos- 
tume, and, besides serving as a girdle, is useful as a pro- 
tection to the abdomen. 
White-turhaned natives, with scarlet and gold ropes fas- 
tened round the waist, glided about in the halls ; and some 
of the more Important added to the dignity of their ap- 
pearance by wearing large daggers in UMiTMNMMftaMH, 
If'. //. /.-./>, Diary in India, I. 113. 
cummin, . See cumin. 
dimming (kum'ing), n. [Cf. comft 2 = coomb 1 , 
a measure. E. dial, comb, a brewing-vat.] A 
vessel for holding wort. E. H. Knight. 
cummingtonite (kum'ing-ton-it), . [< Cum- 
mington (see def.) + -ifc a .] 1. A variety of rho- 
donite or manganese silicate, occurring at Cuin- 
mingtqn, Massachusetts. 2. An iron-magne- 
sia variety of amphibole from the same locality. 
cumnauntt, . and v. A Middle English form 
of corenant. 
cumol (kum'ol), n. [< L. cum(inum), cumin, + 
-o/.] A coal-tar product, C 6 H 5 C 3 H 7 . A mixture 
of hydrocarltons prepared from coal-tar is used in the arts 
under this name as a solvent for gums, etc. Also called 
cumenf. 
cumpanyt, An obsolete spelling of company. 
cumpanyablet, a. See aompaniaSle. 
cumpast, cumpasset, and v. Obsolete spell- 
ings of conijxixx. 
cumplinet, n. An obsolete spelling of complin. 
cumquat, kumquat (kum'kwot), . [The Can- 
tonese pronunciation of Chinese kin keti, golden 
orange, the native name of the fruit.] A very 
small orange of about the size of a pigeon's egg, 
the fruit of the Citrus Aurantium, var. Jajionica, 
very abundant in China and Japan, with a sweet 
rind and sharp acid pulp. It is used chiefly in 
preserves. Also spelled ciimiiuot. 
cumshaw, kumshaw (kum'sha), n. [Chinese 
pigeon-English: said to be a corruption of E. 
commisxton, an allowance or consideration ; but, 
according to Giles, the Amoy pronunciation of 
Chinese kan seay, grateful thanks.] A present 
of any kind; a gift or douceur; bakshish. 
CUmulant (ku'mu-lant), H. [< L. cumulan(t-)s, 
ppr. of cumiilare, heap up: see cumulate.] The 
denominator of the simple algebraical fraction 
which expresses the value of a simple continued 
fraction. Same as continuant. 
cumulate (ku'mu-lat), v. t. ; pret. and pp. cumu- 
lated, ppr. cumulating. [< L. cumulatits, pp. of 
cumulare, heap up, < cumulux, aheap: see cumu- 
lus. Cf. accumulate.] 1. To gather or throw 
into a heap or mass ; bring together ; accumu- 
late. [Now rare.] 
A man that beholds the mighty shoals of shells bedded 
and cttmuldtt'tl heap upon heap among earth will scarcely 
conceive which way these could ever live. H'tm/tmnt. 
All the extremes of worth and bcaut.v that were rtoiiH- 
lated in Camilla. Shdlon, tr. of Don Quixote, iv. 6. 
2. In Tjouisiatui law, to combine in a single ac- 
tion : applied to actions or causes of action. 
cumulation (ku-mu-la'shon), n. [= F. cumula- 
tion = Sp. cumulation = Pg. cumtilaySo = It. 
cumulacione, < L. as if *citmi<l<iti(-), < CIIIHII- 
lure, heap up: see cumulate.] 1. The act of 
heaping together or piling up ; accumulation. 
2. That which is cumulated or heaped toge- 
ther; a heap. 3. In ciril lair, and thence in 
Scu/n and Louisiana lair, combination of causes 
of action or defenses in a single proceeding; 
joinder, so that all must be tried together. The 
right to have several defenses proponed and discussed 
severally and without cumulation is the right to put in one 
at a time and have it disposed of, and then if necessary to 
put in another, and s on. 
cumulatist (ku'mu-la-tist), . [< cumulate + 
-ist.] One who accumulates or collects. [Rare.] 
cumulative (ku'mu-la-tiv), a. [= F. rumulatif 
= Sp. Pg. It. cumitlaliro; as cumulate + -ive.] 1. 
Adding to ; increasing the mass, weight, num- 
