ease

noun

• absence of difficulty or effort:she gave up smoking with ease ease of use
• absence of rigidity or discomfort; poise:I was always vexed by her self-contained ease
• freedom from worries or problems:a life of wealth and ease

verb

• 1 [with object] make (something unpleasant or intense) less serious or severe:a huge road-building programme to ease congestion
• [no object] become less serious or severe:the pain doesn’t usually ease off for several hours
• [no object] (ease off/up) do something with more moderation:I’d ease up on the hard stuff if I were you
• make (something) happen more easily; facilitate:Tokyo’s dominance of government was deemed to ease efficient contact-making

• 2 [no object, with adverbial of direction] move carefully or gradually:I eased down the slope with care [with object and adverbial of direction]:she eased off her shoes
• [with object] (ease someone into) introduce someone gradually to (an activity):he brought in someone new and eased them into the job
• [with object] (ease someone out) gradually exclude someone from a post, especially by devious or subtle manoeuvres:after the scandal he was eased out of his job
• (ease something away/down/off) Nautical slacken a rope or sail slowly or gently.

• 3 [no object] (of share prices, interest rates, etc.) decrease in value or amount:shares eased 6p to 224p