easy en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- (Received-Pronunciation) audio
- /ˈiːzi/ happy-tensing
- (General-American) audio
- (Southern-England) audio
- [ˈɪi̯zɪi̯] happy-tensing
- /ˈiː.ze/ (Northern-Ireland, Scotland)
- /ˈi.ze/ (Northern-Ireland, Scotland)
Etymology
From Middle English esy, eesy, partly from Middle English ese (“ease”) + -y, equivalent to ease + -y, and partly from Anglo-Norman eisé from Old French aisié (“eased, at ease, at leisure”), past participle of aisier (“to put at ease”), from aise (“empty space, elbow room, opportunity”), of uncertain origin. See ease. Merged with Middle English ethe, eathe (“easy”), from Old English īeþe, from Proto-Germanic *auþuz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éwtus, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ew- (“to enjoy, consume”). Compare also Old Saxon ōþi, Old High German ōdi, Old Norse auðr, auð-, Icelandic auð (adverb), auð-, all meaning "easy." More at ease, eath.
Meanings
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(qualifier:now rare except in certain expressions) Comfortable; at ease.
Now that I know it's taken care of, I can rest easy at night.
“[…] She takes the whole thing with desperate seriousness. But the others are all easy and jovial—thinking about the good fare that is soon to be eaten, about the hired fly, about anything.”
1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XVI, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:Mrs. Jennings left them earlier than usual; for she could not be easy till the Middletons and Palmers were able to grieve as much as herself […]
1811, [Jane Austen], chapter 31, in Sense and Sensibility […], volume III, London: […] C[harles] Roworth, […], and published by T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC:
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Requiring little skill or effort.
I realized this all too well when as a seminarian I got stuck with the job of recruiting the washees for a Maundy Thursday service. It's much easier to be the one down on the floor with the basin[…]
1995, Margaret Guenther, Toward Holy Ground, page 43:It's often easy to wake up but hard to get up.
The teacher gave an easy test to her students.
You could just use ordinary shop-bought kecap manis to marinade the meat, but making your own is easy, has a far more elegant fragrance and is, above all, such a great brag! Flavouring kecap manis is an intensely personal thing, so try this version now and next time cook the sauce down with crushed, split lemongrass and a shredded lime leaf.
2015 October 27, Matt Preston, The Simple Secrets to Cooking Everything Better, Plum, →ISBN, page 192:Now the easiest sell in traveldom is made even easier.
1963, American Society of Travel Agents, ASTA Travel News, volume 32, page 55:President Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court on Tuesday to make it easier for his administration to deport people to South Sudan and other countries that are not their homeland, the latest in a series of controversial immigration policies the administration has put before the conservative-majority high court.
2025 May 27, John Fritze, Angélica Franganillo Díaz and Devan Cole, “Trump asks Supreme Court to make it easier to deport migrants to South Sudan and other third-party countries”, in CNN:Toyota spokesman Paul Hogard said the automaker wants speedometers to be easy to read, so there’s value in placing the typical operating speed of American cars, 45 mph to 70 mph, he said, at the top of the speedometer, which is the easiest place on the speedometer for the driver to read.
2022 September 10, Matt McFarland, “Why your car’s speedometer goes up to 160 mph (even when your car can’t)”, in CNN Business:As the world's drug habit shows, governments are failing in their quest to monitor every London window-box and Andean hillside for banned plants. But even that Sisyphean task looks easy next to the fight against synthetic drugs. No sooner has a drug been blacklisted than chemists adjust their recipe and start churning out a subtly different one.
2013 August 10, “A new prescription”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8848, archived from the original on 21 Sep 2020:
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Causing ease; giving comfort, or freedom from care or labour.
an easy chair
Rich people live in easy circumstances, that is, the easy life.
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Free from constraint, harshness, or formality; unconstrained; smooth.
easy manners; an easy style
the easy vigour of a line
1711 May, [Alexander Pope], An Essay on Criticism, London: […] W[illiam] Lewis […]; and sold by W[illiam] Taylor […], T[homas] Osborn[e] […], and J[ohn] Graves […], →OCLC:
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(derogatory, informal, of a woman or girl, usually) Consenting readily to sex.
She has a reputation for being easy; they say she slept with half the senior class.
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Not making resistance or showing unwillingness; tractable; yielding; compliant.
He is[…] too tyrannical to be an easy monarch.
1819 December 20 (indicated as 1820), Walter Scott, Ivanhoe; a Romance. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co. […], →OCLC:He gain'd their easy hearts.
1697, Virgil, “(please specify the book number)”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
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(dated) Not straitened as to money matters; opposed to tight.
The market is easy.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| easie | alternative, obsolete | lexicographic | |
| EZ | Abbr=Yes, Polite=Infm | US, alternative | lexicographic |
| eazy | alternative, pronunciation-spelling | lexicographic | |
| aisy | alternative, archaic, dialectal | lexicographic | |
| easier | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| most easy | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| easiest | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| more easy | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic |
Antonyms
tough · uneath (antonym(s) of “requiring little skill or effort”) · difficult (antonym(s) of “requiring little skill or effort”) · esoteric · anxious (antonym(s) of “comfortable, at ease”) · uneasy (antonym(s) of “requiring little skill or effort”) · complex · tricky · uneasy (antonym(s) of “comfortable, at ease”) · challenging (antonym(s) of “requiring little skill or effort”) · hard (antonym(s) of “requiring little skill or effort”)
Deriveds
easiness · hard-easy effect · honours easy · have an easy time of it · easy-chair · supereasy · have it easy · it is easy to be wise after the event · easygoing · easy target · easy pickings · easy mark · easy for you to say · easy street · free-and-easy · my very easy method just speeds up naming planets · easy as 123 · take it easy · easy on the eye(s) · easy as ABC · easy chair · honors easy · easy-drinking · go easy · semi-easy chair · easy money · easy-going · it is easy to find a stick to beat a dog · there isn't any easy way to say this · take the easy way out · easy does it · overeasy · easy lemon squeezy · easy Japanesey · rest easy · easyish · easy prey · take easy · uneasily · woman of easy virtue · easycore · uneasiness · easy reader · easy as toffee · easy pumpkin peasy · easy as kiss my hand · stand easy · easy-peas(e)y · easy aces · easy peas(e)y · over easy · easy as pie · easy as cake · rolling off a log (as) · easy-breezy · easily · jack-easy · piss-easy · easy listening · I'm easy · free and easy · easybeat · easy like · NP-easy · steezy · easy as falling (as) · easy meat
Descendants
Relateds
Synonyms
uncomplicated · like robbing a baby · eath (not difficult) · soft (requiring little skill or effort) · fast (consenting readily to sex) · like shooting fish in a barrel · as a duck takes to water · effortless · easy peasy · undemanding · idiotproof · easy as pie · like riding a bike · relaxing (comfortable) · easy as ABC · unchallenging · natural · easy as 123 · smooth · troublefree · painless · undifficult · yezzy · facile (requiring little skill or effort) · piss-easy · easy as falling off a log · relaxed (comfortable) · prosaic · plain-sailing · easy peasy lemon squeezy · simple · basic · simple as kiss your hand · easy-breezy · easy as toffee · light (not difficult) · like falling off a log · simplex · easy peasy Japanesey · trivial (requiring little skill or effort) · straightforward · no-fuss · easy as cake · easy · like shelling peas · easy as rolling off a log · like taking candy from a baby · like a duck takes to water
Translations (215)
ko 용이하다 (requiring little skill or effort) · ka მარტივი (requiring little skill or effort) · tkl faigofie (requiring little skill or effort) · gl azoso (requiring little skill or effort) · ky жеңил (requiring little skill or effort) · ko 간단하다 (requiring little skill or effort) · da nem (consenting readily to sex) · km ស្រួល (requiring little skill or effort) · ast fácil (requiring little skill or effort) · he פָּשׁוּט (requiring little skill or effort) · rup lishor (requiring little skill or effort) · ro ușor (requiring little skill or effort) · srn kumakriki (requiring little skill or effort) · tk aňsat (requiring little skill or effort) · la facilis (requiring little skill or effort) · ga furasta (requiring little skill or effort) · tt ансат (requiring little skill or effort) · no lett (requiring little skill or effort) · hi आसान (requiring little skill or effort) · fr facile (consenting readily to sex) · he קַל (requiring little skill or effort) · ca fàcil (consenting readily to sex) · mi waingōhia (requiring little skill or effort) · mn хөнгөн (requiring little skill or effort) · fi helppo (requiring little skill or effort) · hi सुलभ (requiring little skill or effort) · cy hawdd (requiring little skill or effort) · ja 容易い (requiring little skill or effort) · bg лесна (consenting readily to sex) · km មានភាពងាយស្រួល (requiring little skill or effort) · ky оңой (requiring little skill or effort) · ka იოლი (requiring little skill or effort) · gd soirbh (requiring little skill or effort) · ga áiseach (requiring little skill or effort) · it facile (requiring little skill or effort) · sq i lehtë (requiring little skill or effort) · is auðveldur (requiring little skill or effort) · sk ľahký (requiring little skill or effort) · sw rahisi (requiring little skill or effort) · afb سهل (requiring little skill or effort) · kxd sanang (requiring little skill or effort) · sv lättfotad (consenting readily to sex) · gu સરળ (requiring little skill or effort) · pa ਅਸਾਨ (requiring little skill or effort) · es entregado (consenting readily to sex) · fr facile (requiring little skill or effort) · cs lehký (requiring little skill or effort) · cmn 隨便 /随便 (consenting readily to sex) · yue 容易 (requiring little skill or effort) · tl madali (requiring little skill or effort) · vi dễ dàng (requiring little skill or effort) · zza rehat (requiring little skill or effort) · ms mudah (requiring little skill or effort) · te సులభము (requiring little skill or effort) · ca fàcil (requiring little skill or effort) · eu erraz (requiring little skill or effort) · pl prosty (requiring little skill or effort) · uz yengil (requiring little skill or effort) · ja 簡単な (requiring little skill or effort) · bn সহল (requiring little skill or effort) · twh ꪉꪱꪥꫀ (requiring little skill or effort) · gl fácil (consenting readily to sex) · as সহজ (requiring little skill or effort) · gmw-ecg aafach (requiring little skill or effort) · gl fácil (requiring little skill or effort) · mi ngāwari (requiring little skill or effort) · sh lak (requiring little skill or effort) · sw rahisi (consenting readily to sex) · sa सरल (requiring little skill or effort) · ar سَهْل (requiring little skill or effort) · de einfach (requiring little skill or effort) · th ง่าย (requiring little skill or effort) · hu könnyű (requiring little skill or effort) · syl ꠀꠍꠣꠘ (requiring little skill or effort) · ko 헤프다 (consenting readily to sex) · kw esy (requiring little skill or effort) · pl łatwa (consenting readily to sex) · my လွယ် (requiring little skill or effort) · qu jasa (requiring little skill or effort) · sv lätt (requiring little skill or effort) · vi dễ (requiring little skill or effort) · pl łatwy (requiring little skill or effort) · kw es (requiring little skill or effort) · an fázil (requiring little skill or effort) · ota یسیر (requiring little skill or effort) · nl gemakkelijk (consenting readily to sex) · el εύκολος (requiring little skill or effort) · ba еңел (requiring little skill or effort) · mn хялбар (requiring little skill or effort) · fr fastoche (requiring little skill or effort) · alt оҥой (requiring little skill or effort) · eo facila (requiring little skill or effort) · rup ljiushor (requiring little skill or effort) · no enkel (requiring little skill or effort) · et kerge (requiring little skill or effort) · mr सुलभ (requiring little skill or effort) · mk лесен (requiring little skill or effort) · cs snadný (requiring little skill or effort) · wa åjheye (requiring little skill or effort) · sh лак (consenting readily to sex) · ka ადვილი (requiring little skill or effort) · ia facile (requiring little skill or effort) · ug ئوڭاي (requiring little skill or effort) · bcl madali (requiring little skill or effort) · gl doado (requiring little skill or effort) · fy maklik (requiring little skill or effort) · fa آسان (requiring little skill or effort) · am ቀላል (requiring little skill or effort) · ja 容易な (requiring little skill or effort) · udm капчи (requiring little skill or effort) · uz qulay (requiring little skill or effort) · sa लघु (requiring little skill or effort) · ta எளிதான (requiring little skill or effort) · si ලේසි (requiring little skill or effort) · pt fácil (requiring little skill or effort) · sl lahek (requiring little skill or effort) · ota بسیط (requiring little skill or effort) · hsb lochki (requiring little skill or effort) · ur سرل (requiring little skill or effort) · nl gemakkelijk (requiring little skill or effort) · ur آسان (requiring little skill or effort) · om salpha (requiring little skill or effort) · lt lengvas (requiring little skill or effort) · gd furasda (requiring little skill or effort) · tt җиңел (requiring little skill or effort) · pl łatwy (consenting readily to sex) · grc ῥᾴδιος (requiring little skill or effort) · mi mārū (requiring little skill or effort) · de leicht (requiring little skill or effort) · id mudah (requiring little skill or effort) · pt fácil (consenting readily to sex) · cs ochotný (consenting readily to sex) · yue 易 (requiring little skill or effort) · kmr hêsan (requiring little skill or effort) · da let (requiring little skill or effort) · mi māmā (requiring little skill or effort) · lv viegls (requiring little skill or effort) · da let på tråden (consenting readily to sex) · ang īeþe (requiring little skill or effort) · kw attes (requiring little skill or effort) · es quedón (consenting readily to sex) · bg ле́сен (requiring little skill or effort) · tr rahat (requiring little skill or effort) · sk jednoduchý (requiring little skill or effort) · tr kolay (requiring little skill or effort) · be лёгкі (requiring little skill or effort) · oc aisit (requiring little skill or effort) · cy rhwydd (requiring little skill or effort) · fi helppo (consenting readily to sex) · cv ҫӑмӑл (requiring little skill or effort) · arz سهل (requiring little skill or effort) · ru пода́тливый (consenting readily to sex) · ko 쉽다 (requiring little skill or effort) · io facila (requiring little skill or effort) · cs jednoduchý (requiring little skill or effort) · mt faċli (requiring little skill or effort) · ceb sayon (requiring little skill or effort) · ja 易い (requiring little skill or effort) · ko 쉬운 (requiring little skill or effort) · fa راحت (requiring little skill or effort) · bn সহজ (requiring little skill or effort) · es fácil (requiring little skill or effort) · kk оңай (requiring little skill or effort) · ht fasil (requiring little skill or effort) · el εύκολος (consenting readily to sex) · ru просто́й (requiring little skill or effort) · fr aisé (requiring little skill or effort) · fr simple (requiring little skill or effort) · ota قولای (requiring little skill or effort) · alt јеҥил (requiring little skill or effort) · km ងាយ (requiring little skill or effort) · af maklik (requiring little skill or effort) · wa åjhey (requiring little skill or effort) · cmn 容易 (requiring little skill or effort) · ja 易しい (requiring little skill or effort) · es ofrecido (consenting readily to sex) · az rahat (requiring little skill or effort) · et lihtne (requiring little skill or effort) · hi सरल (requiring little skill or effort) · ru лёгкий (requiring little skill or effort) · pl lekki (requiring little skill or effort) · yi גרינג (requiring little skill or effort) · te సుళువు (requiring little skill or effort) · no lett på tråden (consenting readily to sex) · cmn 簡單 /简单 (requiring little skill or effort) · oc facil (requiring little skill or effort) · tg осон (requiring little skill or effort) · sh лак (requiring little skill or effort) · ce аьтта (requiring little skill or effort) · id gampang (requiring little skill or effort) · te సులువు (requiring little skill or effort) · da nem (requiring little skill or effort) · uz oson (requiring little skill or effort) · hy հեշտ (requiring little skill or effort) · id gampangan (consenting readily to sex) · bg лесен (consenting readily to sex) · dsb lažki (requiring little skill or effort) · es fácil (consenting readily to sex) · sa सुलभ (requiring little skill or effort) · nl makkelijk (requiring little skill or effort) · sh lak (consenting readily to sex) · tl madaling (requiring little skill or effort) · srn makriki (requiring little skill or effort) · bcl pasil (requiring little skill or effort) · br aes (requiring little skill or effort) · ug ئاسان (requiring little skill or effort) · az asan (requiring little skill or effort) · lo ງ່າຍ (requiring little skill or effort) · uk легки́й (requiring little skill or effort) · nl makkelijk (consenting readily to sex) · xmf ანდვილი (requiring little skill or effort) · az qolay (requiring little skill or effort) · ckt мыркуԓьын (requiring little skill or effort) · rup licshor (requiring little skill or effort) · kk жеңіл (requiring little skill or effort)