Dictionary

cumbrous en · ADJ

Pronunciation

(Southern-England) audio
/ˈkʌmbɹəs/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Late Middle English combrous (“causing obstruction; clumsy; obstructed; bothersome, difficult; burdensome, onerous; serious; causing trouble, troublesome; dangerous; immoral; unjust, wrongful; upset”) [and other forms], from komber, kumbre (“distress; destruction”) + -ous (suffix forming adjectives). The English word is analysable as cumber + -ous.

Meanings

(also, figuratively, literary) Unwieldy because of size or weight; cumbersome.
- Possession's load was grown so great, / He sunk beneath the cumbrous weight: […] 1727, Jonathan Swift, “Desire and Possession”, in Thomas Sheridan, John Nichols, editors, The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, […], new edition, volume VII, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], published 1801, →OCLC, page 370:
- [W]e, upon a large experience in the French literature, affirm that it would be nearly impossible (perhaps strictly so) to cite an instance of that cumbrous and unwieldy style which disfigures English composition so extensively. 1840, Thomas De Quincey, “Style”, in Critical Suggestions on Style and Rhetoric with German Tales and Other Narrative Papers (De Quincey’s Works; XI), London: James Hogg & Sons, published 1859, →OCLC, part I, page 183:
- The rest of the furniture is in a suitable style, particularly an arm-chair of cumbrous workmanship, constructed of wood, curiously turned, with a high back and triangular seat, said to have been used by Judge Popham in the reign of Elizabeth. 1813, Walter Scott, “Notes to Canto Fifth”, in Rokeby; a Poem, Edinburgh: […] [F]or John Ballantyne and Co. […]; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown; by James Ballantyne and Co., […], →OCLC, note X, page ciii:
- A correspondent of The American has taken exception to the use, in a recent paragraph in this column, of the word “electrocution.” The writer of the paragraph referred to is conscious that the word, like other etymological hybrids, lacks euphony and consistency; but during the formative period succeeding the introduction of a new idea not yet provided with a verbal exponent, the safest course is to follow general popular usage. The idea must be expressed, and the choice lies between a cumbrous word and a cumbrous sentence, the former of which seems the lesser evil. “Electrocution” has been widely used, even by scientific men, while the only plausible alternative thus far suggested—“electrothany”—though possessing the merit of unmixed ancestry, is inadequate in that it carries no penal signification. 1890 August 23, “Weekly notes”, in The American, volume 524, Robert Ellison, page 370:
- Evidently the imagines agentes, fantastically gesticulating from their places and arousing memory by their emotional appeal, seemed to him as cumbrous and useless for practical mnemonic purposes as they do to us. 1966, Frances A[melia] Yates, “The Art of Memory in Greece: Memory and the Soul”, in The Art of Memory, London: Pimlico, published 2007, →ISBN, page 41:
- This class of apparatus, often called today the "poste classique", gave first-class service in every respect but became cumbrous if a large layout had to be controlled. 1961 November, “The Development of ‘P.R.S.’ on the French Railways”, in Trains Illustrated, London: Ian Allan Publishing, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 664:
- He therefore came to a ſudden reolution of throvving off thoſe cumbrous ornaments of learning, vvhich, as he imagined, hindered his reception; and vvith no other images than arcs and angles, commenced a man of vvit and jocularity. 1751 December 13 (Gregorian calendar), Samuel Johnson, “No. 179. Monday, December 3. 1751.”, in The Rambler, volume VII, Edinburgh: […] Sands, Murray, and Cochran; sold by W. Gordon, C. Wright, J. Yair, […], published 1752, →OCLC, page 149:
- In each country writing began with pictures of the objects intended. […] In the course of thousands of years, this cumbrous system developed into alphabetic writing. 1946, Bertrand Russell, “The Rise of Greek Civilization”, in History of Western Philosophy […], London: George Allen and Unwin, →OCLC, book 1 (Ancient Philosophy), part 1 (The Pre-Socratics), page 22:
(literary, obsolete) Causing hindrance or obstruction.
- But aftervvards, the Gauls ceaſed to moleſt and trouble, and the Romans gave over to fear, ſo ſoon as they vvere paſſed, and eſcaped the rough, cumbrous, and unpaſſable forreſts. 1659, T[itus] Livius [i.e., Livy], “[Book XXI]”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Romane Historie […], London: […] W. Hunt, for George Sawbridge, […], →OCLC, page 329:
(literary, obsolete) Giving annoyance or trouble; troublesome, vexatious.
- A cloud of cumbrous gnattes doe him moleſt, / All ſtriuing to infixe their feeble ſtinges, / That from their noyance he no vvhere can reſt, / But vvith his clovvniſh hands their tender vvings, / He bruſheth oft, and oft doth mar their murmurings. 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto I”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 23, page 9:
- Henceforth I flie not Death, nor would prolong / Life much, bent rather now I may be quit / Faireſt and eaſieſt of this combrous charge, / Which I muſt keep till my appointed day / Of rendring up. 1667, John Milton, “Book X”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 544–548:

Forms

Spelling	Features	Labels	Source
most cumbrous	Degree=Sup		lexicographic
more cumbrous	Degree=Cmp		lexicographic
combrous		alternative	lexicographic

cumbrous en · ADJ

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