encroach 
He encrochez kenely by craftez of armez 
Countrese and castelles that to thy coroun langez. 
Morte Arthure (E. E. T. S.), 1. 1243. 
Thay ar happen also that for her harme wepes, 
For thay schal comfort encroche in kythes ful mony. 
Alliterative Poems (ed. Morris), iii. 18. 
II. intrans. 1. To enter, intrude, or trespass 
upon the possessions, jurisdiction, rights, prov- 
ince, domain, or limits of some other person 
or thing; infringe upon or restrict another's 
right in any way; specifically, in law, to extend 
one's possession of land so as to transgress the 
boundary between it and the rightful posses- 
sion or enjoyment of another or of the public : 
with on or upon befoi'e the object. 
Exclude the encroaching cattle from thy ground. 
Dryden. 
Those who are gentle and uncomplaining, too candid 
to intrigue, too delicate to encroach, suffer much. 
Marg. Fuller, Woman in 19th Cent., p. 61. 
Among primitive men, individual conflicts for food pass 
into conflicts between hordes, when, in pursuit of food, 
one encroaches on another's territory. 
H. Spencer, Prin. of Sociol., 448. 
2. Figuratively, to intrude gradually ; lay hold, 
as if by stealth or irresistible power : with on 
or upon before the object: as, old age is en- 
croaching upon me. 
Superstition, ... a creeping and encroaching evil. 
Hooker, Eccles. Polity. 
And listened long to the sweet sounds that thrilled 
The frosty air, till now the encroaching cold 
Recalled her to herself. 
Bryant, Little People of the Snow. 
=Syn. Trench upon, infringe upon, etc. (see trespass, v. t.) ; 
to invade, violate, creep upon. 
encroacht (eu-kroch'), n. [< encroach, v.~\ The 
act of encroaching ; encroachment. 
I cannot imagine that hereticks who err fundamentally, 
and by consequence damnably, took the first rise, and be- 
gan to set up with a fundamental error, but grew into it 
by insensible encroaches and gradual insinuations. 
South, Works, IV. ix. 
encroacher (en-kro'cher), n. One who en- 
croaches; one who lessens or limits anything, 
as a right or privilege, by narrowing its boun- 
daries. 
Sir John Mason, Treasurer of the Queen's Chamber, a 
grave and Learned Man, but a great Usurper and En- 
croacher upon Ecclesiastical Livings. 
Baker, Chronicles, p. 337. 
The bold encroachers on the deep 
Gain by degrees huge tracts of land. 
Swift, Run upon the Bankers, 1720. 
encroachingly (en-kro'ching-li), adv. By en- 
croachment. 
encroachment (en-kroch'ment), n. [< OF. 
(AF.) encrochment, < encrochier, encroach: see 
encroach and -ment.'] 1. The act of encroach- 
ing or intruding or trespassing; an entering on 
the rights or possessions of another, and tak- 
ing possession ; unlawful intrusion in general ; 
assumption of the rights and privileges of an- 
other. 
It is the surest policy in princes 
To govern well their own than seek encroachment 
Upon anothers right. Ford, Perkin Warbeck, iii. 4. 
But ambitious encroachments of the federal government 
on the authority of the state governments would not ex- 
cite the opposition of a single state, or of a few states 
only. Madison, The Federalist, No. xlvi. 
It will be seen that the system which effectually secured 
our liberties against the encroachments of kingly power 
gave birth to a new class of abuses from which absolute 
monarchies are exempt. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., i. 
2. The thing taken by encroaching. 
The general rule is that if the wrongful act is acquiesced 
in, the encroachment (i. e., the land added) is considered 
as annexed to the original holding. 
Rapelje and Laivrence. 
3. Figuratively, the act of intruding gradually 
and as if by stealth ; approach, seizure, or pro- 
gress: as, the encroachments of disease. 
encrownt, v. t. [ME. encrownen, < OF. encoro- 
ner, < en- + coroner, coronner, couronner, crown : 
see en- 1 and crown.'] To crown. 
This lawe of armys was founded on the IX order of 
angellys in heven eiicroumyd vitb precyous stonys of colour 
and of vertues dyvers. Also of theym are fyguryed the 
colours in armys. 
Quoted in Booke of Precedence (E. E. T. S., extra ser.), i. 103. 
encrownmentt. . [ME. encorownment, < OF. 
encoronement, <. encoroner, crown: see encrown 
and -ment.'] Coronation. 
Kepede fore encorownmentes of kynges enoynttede. 
Morte Arthure (E. E. T. S.), 1. 4198. 
encrust, encrustation, etc. See incrust, etc. 
encrystalt (en-kris'tal), v. t. [Formerly also 
enchristal; < en-1 +" crystal.'] To inclose in 
crystal ; surround with or bury in ice. 
We hear of some enchristal' d, such as have 
That, which produc'd their death, become their grave. 
Cartwright, On the Great Frost. 
1916 
encuirassed (en-kwe-rasf or en-kwe'rast), a. [< 
en- 1 + citirass + -ed 2 .] Inzool., furnished with 
a structure or outer eoat likened to a cuirass, 
such as is developed by certain infusorians; 
loricate. 
encumber, incumber (en-, in-kum'ber), v. t. [< 
ME. "encumbren, encombren, < OF. encombrer, 
encumbrer (= Pr. encombrar = It. ingombrare), 
< en- + combrer, cumber : see e>'-l and cumber.] 
1. To clog or impede with a load, burden, or 
other hindrance; render difficult or laborious 
in motion or operation; embarrass; overload; 
perplex; obstruct. 
Into the bestes throte he shal hem caste, 
To sleke hys hunger, and encombre hys teth. 
Chaucer, Good Women, 1. 2006. 
Encombre neuere thy conscience for couetyse of Mede 
[gain]. Piers Plowman (C), iii. 51. 
Though laden, not encumber d with her spoil. 
Cowper, Tirocinium, 1. 17. 
Knowledge, . . . 
Till smooth'd, and squar'd, and fitted to its place, 
Does but encumber whom it seems t' enrich. 
Coiaper, Task, vi. 95. 
Specifically 2. To place (property) under a 
charge or servitude ; load with debt or liability : 
as, to encumber an estate with mortgages, or 
with a widow's dower ; an encumbered title. See 
encumbrance, 3. =Syn, 1. To oppress, overload, hinder, 
entangle, handicap, weigh down, 
encumbert, n. [< ME. encomber, < OF. encom- 
bre, < encombrer, v., encumber: see encumber, v.~\ 
An encumbrance ; a hindrance. 
Thei spedde her iourneyes that thei com to the Castell 
of Charroye with-oute eny encomber, and ther thei made 
of the kynge Bohors grete ioye. 
Merlin (E. E. T. S.), ii. 358. 
encumberingly, incumberingly (en-, in-kum'- 
ber-ing-li), adv. In a manner to encumber or 
impede. 
encumbermentt, n. [= F. encombrement = Pr. 
encombrament = It. ingombramento; as encum- 
ber + -ment.~] The act of encumbering; ob- 
struction ; interference. 
Into the se of Spayn [they] wer dryuen in a torment 
Among the Sarazins, hot God, that grace tham lent, 
Saued tham alle tho tymes fro ther encumbennent. 
Rob. of Brunne, tr. of Langtoft's Chron., p. 148. 
The best advizement was, of bad, to let her 
Sleepe out her fill without ettcumbermcnt. 
Spenser, F. Q., VI. viii. 38. 
encumbrance, incumbrance (en-, in-kum'- 
brans), n. [< ME. encombrance, encombratmce, 
< OF. encombrance, < encombrer, encumber: see 
encumber. ] 1. The act of encumbering, or the 
state of being encumbered. 
Ther-fore, wyte ye well that this is the encombraunf.e of 
the deuell. Merlin (E. E. T. S.), i. 6. 
2. That which encumbers, burdens, or clogs ; 
anything that impedes action, orrenders it dif- 
ficult and laborious ; an obstruction or impedi- 
ment; an embarrassment. 
Let none thinke they incountred not with all manner of 
incumbrances. Capt. John Smith, True Travels, II. 214. 
Strip from the branching Alps their piny load, 
The huge encumbrance of horrific wood. Thomson. 
Specifically 3. In law, a charge or servitude 
affecting property, which diminishes the value 
of ownership, or may impair its enjoyment, so 
as to constitute a qualification or diminution of 
the rights of ownership. It does not impair owner- 
ship or power to convey, but implies a burden which will 
continue on the property in the hands of the purchaser. 
If a person owns only an undivided share in land, the 
share of his cotenant is not designated an encumbrance 
on his share; but if the land is subject to unpaid taxes or 
to a right of way, or if the land or one's share is subject 
to a mortgage or a mechanic's lien, it is said to be en- 
cumbered. 
4. A family charge or care ; especially, a child 
or a family of children : as, a widow without en- 
cumbrance or encumbrances. [Colloq.] Cove- 
nant against encumbrances, a covenant, sometimes 
inserted in conveyances of land, that there arc no en- 
cumbrances except such as may be specified. Mesne 
encumbrances. See mesne. =Syn. 2. Burden, check, 
hindrance, drag, weight, dead weight. 
encumbrancer, incumbrancer (en-, in-kum'- 
bran-ser), n. One who holds an encumbrance 
or a legal claim on an estate. 
encumbroust, a. [ME. encombrous, encomber- 
ous, < OF. encombros, encombrous, encombrus, < 
encombre, n., encumber: see encumber, .] Cum- 
brous; tedious; embarrassing; burdensome. 
Ful encomberouse is the usynge. 
Chaucer, Complaint of Venus, 1. 42. 
What helpp shall he 
Whos sieves encombrous so syde trayle 
encyclopedic 
encurtaint (en-ker'tan), v. t. [ME. encurtynen, 
rncorteiiien, < OF. eiicortiner, encourtiner, < en- 
+ cortino; curtain : see en- 1 and curtain.'] To 
curtain; inclose with curtains. 
And all within in preuy place 
A softe bedde of large space 
Thei hadde made, and encorteined [var. encurtyned]. 
Gower, Conf. Amant., I. 
ency., encyc. Abbreviations of encyclopedia. 
encyclic, encyclical (en-sik'lik, -li-kal), a. and 
n. [= F. cncy clique = Sp. enciclico "= Pg. en- 
cyclico = It. enciclico, < NL. encyclicus (after L. 
cyclicus : see cyclic), equiv. to L. encyclios, < Gr. 
iynvi&ios, rounded, circular, periodic, general, < 
cv, in, + /cwcAof, a circle.] I. a. 1. Circular; 
sent to all members of some circle or class. 
In the early church letters sent by members of a council 
to all the churches, or by bishops to churches of a particu- 
lar diocese, were called encyclic letters. The term is now 
by the Roman Catholic Church exclusively applied to let- 
ters on topics of interest to the whole church, addressed 
by the Pope to all the bishops in communion with him. 
An imperial encyclic letter branded with an anathema 
the whole proceedings at Chalcedon, and the letter of Pope 
Leo, as tainted with Nestorianism. 
Milman, Latin Christianity, iii. 1. 
The Encyclic Epistle commences with the duty of pre- 
serving the faith pure and undefiled as it was at first. 
J. M. Xeale', Eastern Church, i. 1194. 
2. In bot., isomerous, with regular alternation 
of parts: applied to flowers in which the pet- 
als, stamens, etc., are equal in number in each 
whorl, alternating with each other. 
If all the whorls have an equal number of parts and are 
alternate, it [a flower] is encyclic. Encyc. Brit., IV. 127. 
II. n. A circular letter. 
He [Leo XIII.] teaches by encyclicals ; his predecessor 
taught by allocutions. The Century, XXXVI. 90. 
encyclopedia, encyclopaedia (en-sl-klo-pe'di- 
a), n. [Formerly also encyclopedy, encyclopedic, 
encyclopcedy, < F. encyclopedic = Sp. enciclopedia 
= Pg. encyclopedia = It. enciclopedia, < NL. en- 
cyclopaedia, < Gr. eyKvK^jmcuSeia (a rare and bar- 
barous form found in L. authors), prop. cyid'KAiof 
Traife'a, the circle of arts and sciences, the gen- 
eral education preceding professional studies : 
eyniiKAioc, in a circle, circular, periodic, gener- 
al (see encyclic) ; iratoeia, education, < jraideverv, 
educate, bring up a child, < Trai; (iraiti-), child: 
see pedagogue.'] 1. The circle of sciences; a 
general system of instruction in several or all 
departments of knowledge. 
And therefore, in this encydopedie and round of know- 
ledge like the great and exemplary wheels of heaven, we 
must observe two circles. 
Sir T. Browne, Vulg. Err., To the Reader. 
Some by this art have become universally learned in a 
far larger compass than the old reputed encyclopedy. 
Boyle, Works, VI. 335. 
To Systematic Theology belongs also formal Encyclo- 
paedia, or an exhibition of theology .is an organic whole, 
showing the relationship of the different parts, and their 
proper function and aim. 
Scha/, Christ and Christianity, p. 5. 
Specifically 2. A work in which the various 
topics included under several or all branches 
of knowledge are treated separately, and usu- 
ally in alphabetical order. 
It [a public library] should be rich in books of refer- 
ence, in encyclopaedias, where one may learn without cost 
of research what things are generally known. For it is 
far more useful to know these than to know those that are 
not generally known. Lowell, Books and Libraries. 
3. In a narrower sense, a cyclopedia. See cy- 
clopedia, 1. 
Abbreviated enc., ency., encyc. 
French Encyclopedia (Encyclopedic on Dictionnaire rai- 
sonn des sciences, etc.), a celebrated French work in 28 
folio volumes (including 11 volumes of plates), the first 
of which appeared in 1751 and the last in 1765. Five vol- 
umes of supplements were issued in 1776-7, and two vol- 
umes of index in 1780, the complete work thus consisting 
of 35 volumes folio. The chief editor was Diderot, who 
was assisted by D'Alembert, and many of the great con- 
temporary literary men of France (hence called the ency- 
clopedists) contributed to it. From the skeptical charac- 
ter of many of the articles, the work excited the bitterest 
ecclesiastical enmity, and had no small part in bringing 
about the state of public opinion which prepared the way 
for the French revolution. - 
encyclopediacal (en-si // klo-pe-di'a-kal), a. 
Same as encyclopedic. [Rare.] 
encyclopedia!! (en-sl-klo-pe'di-an), a. and n. 
I. a. Same as encyclopedic. [Bare.] 
Il.t n. The circle of sciences or knowledge ; 
the round of learning. 
Let them have that encyclop&dian, all the learning in 
the world, they must keep it to themselves. 
Burton, Anat. of Mel., p. 191. 
-, , ,,^,^ ^. E. T. s., extra ser.), i. 107. encyclopedic, encyclopaedic (en-si-klo-pe'dik 
To avoid many encumbrous arguments, which wit can or 'P ed lk >> _ C= F - encyclopedic = Sp. e,,- 
devise against the truth, I send to your grace the copy of 
mine answer. Stnjjae, Cranmer, ii. 3, note. 
. 
ciclopedico = Pg. nic>i<-li>pcdico = It. enciclope- 
dico, < NL. encyclopedia : see encyclopedia.'] 1. 
