Part 154

4. (Zoöl.) Bent downwards so that the ends touch, or rest on, something else; as, the incumbent toe of a bird.

In*cum"bent, n. A person who is in present possession of a benefice or of any office.

The incumbent lieth at the mercy of his patron.

Swift.

In*cum"bent*ly, adv. In an incumbent manner; so as to be incumbent.

In*cum"ber (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Incumbered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Incumbering.] See Encumber.

In`cum*bi"tion (?), n. Incubation. [R.] Sterne.

In*cum"brance (?), n. [See Encumbrance.] [Written also encumbrance.]

1. A burdensome and troublesome load; anything that impedes motion or action, or renders it difficult or laborious; clog; impediment; hindrance; check. Cowper.

2. (Law) A burden or charge upon property; a claim or lien upon an estate, which may diminish its value.

In*cum"bran*cer (?), n. (Law) One who holds an incumbrance, or some legal claim, lien, or charge on an estate. Kent.

In*cum"brous (?), a. [Cf. OF. encombros.] Cumbersome; troublesome. [Written also encombrous.] [Obs.] Chaucer.

||In`cu*nab"u*lum (?), n.; pl. Incunabula (#). [L. incunabula cradle, ||birthplace, origin. See 1st In-, and Cunabula.] A work of art or of ||human industry, of an early epoch; especially, a book printed before ||a. d. 1500. || In*cur" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Incurred (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Incurring (?).] [L. incurrere to run into or toward; pref. in- in + currere to run. See Current.]

1. To meet or fall in with, as something inconvenient, harmful, or onerous; to put one's self in the way of; to expose one's self to; to become liable or subject to; to bring down upon one's self; to encounter; to contract; as, to incur debt, danger, displeasure, penalty, responsibility, etc.

I know not what I shall incur to pass it, Having no warrant.

Shak.

2. To render liable or subject to; to occasion. [Obs.]

Lest you incur me much more damage in my fame than you have done me pleasure in preserving my life.

Chapman.

In*cur", v. i. To pass; to enter. [Obs.]

Light is discerned by itself because by itself it incurs into the eye.

South.

In*cur`a*bil"i*ty (?), n. [Cf. F. incurabilité incurability, LL. incurabilitas negligence.] The state of being incurable; irremediableness. Harvey.

In*cur"a*ble (?), a. [F. incurable, L. incurabilis. See In- not, and Curable.]

1. Not capable of being cured; beyond the power of skill or medicine to remedy; as, an incurable disease.

A scirrhus is not absolutely incurable.

Arbuthnot.

2. Not admitting or capable of remedy or correction; irremediable; remediless; as, incurable evils.