Part 721

En*croach", n. Encroachment. [Obs.] South.

En*croach"er (?), n. One who by gradual steps enters on, and takes possession of, what is not his own.

En*croach"ing*ly, adv. By way of encroachment.

En*croach"ment (?), n. 1. The act of entering gradually or silently upon the rights or possessions of another; unlawful intrusion.

An unconstitutional encroachment of military power on the civil establishment.

Bancroft.

2. That which is taken by encroaching on another.

3. (Law) An unlawful diminution of the possessions of another.

En*crust" (?), v. t. To incrust. See Incrust.

En*crust"ment (?), n. That which is formed as a crust; incrustment; incrustation.

Disengaging truth from its encrustment of error.

I. Taylor.

En*cum"ber (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Encumbered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Encumbering.] [F. encombrer; pref. en- (L. in) + OF. combrer to hinder. See Cumber, and cf. Incumber.] [Written also incumber.] 1. To impede the motion or action of, as with a burden; to retard with something superfluous; to weigh down; to obstruct or embarrass; as, his movements were encumbered by his mantle; his mind is encumbered with useless learning.

Not encumbered with any notable inconvenience.

Hooker.

2. To load with debts, or other legal claims; as, to encumber an estate with mortgages.

Syn. -- To load; clog; oppress; overload; embarrass; perplex; hinder; retard; obstruct; check; block.

En*cum"ber*ment (?), n. [Cf. F. encombrement.] Encumbrance. [R.]

En*cum"brance (?), n. [Cf. OF. encombrance. Cf. Incumbrance.] 1. That which encumbers; a burden which impedes action, or renders it difficult and laborious; a clog; an impediment. See Incumbrance.

2. (Law) Same as Incumbrance.

Syn. -- Burden; clog; impediment; check; hindrance.

En*cum"bran*cer (?), n. (Law) Same as Incumbrancer.

En*cur"tain (?), v. t. To inclose with curtains.

-en*cy (?). [L. -entia.] A noun suffix having much the same meaning as -ence, but more commonly signifying the quality or state; as, emergency, efficiency. See -ancy.

{ En*cyc"lic (?), En*cyc"li*cal (?), } a. [L. encyclios of a circle, general, Gr. &?;; &?; in + &?; circle: cf. F. encyclique. See Cycle.] Sent to many persons or places; intended for many, or for a whole order of men; general; circular; as, an encyclical letter of a council, of a bishop, or the pope.

{ En*cyc"lic, En*cyc"li*cal, } n. An encyclical letter, esp. one from a pope. Shipley.

{ En*cy`clo*pe"di*a, En*cy`clo*pæ"di*a } (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?;, for &?; &?;, instruction in the circle of arts and sciences: cf. F. encyclopédie. See Cyclopedia, and Encyclical.] [Formerly written encyclopædy and encyclopedy.] The circle of arts and sciences; a comprehensive summary of knowledge, or of a branch of knowledge; esp., a work in which the various branches of science or art are discussed separately, and usually in alphabetical order; a cyclopedia.

En*cy`clo*pe*di"a*cal (?), a. Encyclopedic.