Ease
Webster's Dictionary [1]
(1): ( n.) To entertain; to furnish with accommodations.
(2): ( n.) To release from pressure or restraint; to move gently; to lift slightly; to shift a little; as, to ease a bar or nut in machinery.
(3): ( n.) Satisfaction; pleasure; hence, accommodation; entertainment.
(4): ( n.) To free from anything that pains, disquiets, or oppresses; to relieve from toil or care; to give rest, repose, or tranquility to; - often with of; as, to ease of pain; ease the body or mind.
(5): ( n.) To render less painful or oppressive; to mitigate; to alleviate.
(6): ( n.) Freedom from constraint, formality, difficulty, embarrassment, etc.; facility; liberty; naturalness; - said of manner, style, etc.; as, ease of style, of behavior, of address.
(7): ( n.) Freedom from care, solicitude, or anything that annoys or disquiets; tranquillity; peace; comfort; security; as, ease of mind.
(8): ( n.) Freedom from anything that pains or troubles; as: (a) Relief from labor or effort; rest; quiet; relaxation; as, ease of body.
King James Dictionary [2]
EASE, n. s as z. L. otium.
1. Rest an undisturbed state. Applied to the body, freedom from pain, disturbance, excitement or annoyance. He sits at his ease. He takes his ease. 2. Applied to the mind, a quiet state tranquillity freedom from pain, concern, anxiety, solicitude, or any thing that frets or ruffles the mind.
His soul shall dwell at ease. Psalms 25
Wo to them that are at ease in Zion. Amos 6
3. Rest from labor. 4. Facility freedom from difficulty or great labor. One man will perform this service with ease. This author writes with ease. 5. Freedom from stiffness, harshness, forced expressions, or unnatural arrangement as the ease of style. 6. Freedom from constraint or formality unaffectedness as ease of behavior.
At ease, in an undisturbed state free from pain or anxiety.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia [3]
ēz ( שׁאנן , sha‛ănān , שׁלאנן , shal'ănān , chiefly, "at ease"): Used 19 times in the Old Testament and once in the New Testament, most frequently meaning tranquillity, security or comfort of mind; in an ethical sense, indicating carelessness or indifference with reference to one's moral or religious interests. The prophet Jeremiah used the phrase as an indication of national or tribal indifference: "Moab hath been at ease from his youth" ( Jeremiah 48:11 ); "I am very sore displeased with the nations that are at ease" ( Zechariah 1:15 ). Frequent allusions are made also by various prophets to individuals or groups of individuals, as "Woe to them that are at ease in Zion" ( Amos 6:1 ); "Rise up, ye women that are at ease" ( Isaiah 32:9 ), and "Tremble, ye women that are at ease" ( Isaiah 32:11 ).
The word in another form is used also in a verbal sense and to apply to physical ease and comfort, as "My couch shall ease my complaint" ( Job 7:13; compare especially 2 Chronicles 10:4 , 2 Chronicles 10:9 ). Simple mental tranquillity or peace of mind is also expressed by it ( Jeremiah 46:27 ).
The single instance of its use in the New Testament is illustrative of its figurative but most common usage in the Old Testament, where it refers to moral indifference in the parable of the Rich Fool: "Soul ... take thine ease, eat, drink, be merry" ( Luke 12:19 ).
