easement

Noun

easement (countable and uncountable, plural easements)

1. An interest in land which grants the legal right to use another person's real property (real estate), generally in order to cross a part of the property or to gain access to something on the property (right of way).
   • The power company has an easement to put their electricity poles along the edge of this land.
   • Eaſement is a privilege that one Neighbour hath of another, by Writing or Preſcription, without profit; as a Way or a Sink through his Land, or ſuch like.[1708, anonymous [attributed to John Rastell or William Rastell], “Easement”, in Les Termes de la Ley: Or, Certain Difficult and Obscure Words and Terms of the Common Laws and Statutes of this Realm...
2. An element such as a baseboard, handrail, etc., that is curved instead of abruptly changing direction.
   • The curved part of the rail where it joins the newel is called an easement. Often, however, the rail joins the newel without an easement.1986, Jack P[ayne] Jones, “Designing and Building Stairs”, in Handbook of Construction Contracting, volume 1 (Plans, Specs, Building), Carlsbad, Calif.: Craftsman Book Company, →ISBN, page 240
   • In preparation for laying out the easement used to join the first- and second-flight handrails, tack a piece of plywood about 5 inches wide to the bottom side of the gooseneck fitting and the handrail of the first flight. These pieces are used to rest the connecting easement against when laying out...2013, Floyd Vogt, Carpentry, 6th edition, Clifton Park, N.Y.: Delmar, Cengage Learning, →ISBN, page 932
3. (archaic) Easing; relief; assistance; support.
   • There are alſo many Deſerts, and many mountains diſioyning the prouinces farre aſſunder. Heerin it reſembleth Spain, where for want of Nauigable riuers (except towards the ſeacoaſt) trafficke is little vſed, and mountains and prouinces lie vnmanured for ſcarcity of moiſture. But Nature vnwilling...1611, anonymous [Giovanni Botero], “The Fourth Booke. Of Asya.”, in Robert Johnson, transl., Relations, of the Most Famovs Kingdoms and Common-weales throvgh the World. Discoursing of their...
   • But now, thought I, if this ſin is not unto death, then it is pardonable; therefore from this I have encouragement to come to God by Chriſt for mercy; to conſider the promiſe of forgiveneſs, as that which ſtands with open arms to receive me, as well as others. This therefore was a great eaſement to...1666, John Bunyan, Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners: Or, A Brief and Faithful Relation of the Exceeding Mercy of God in Christ, to His Poor Servant John Bvnyan, London: Printed by George...
4. (archaic, euphemistic) The act of relieving oneself: defecating or urinating.
   • [T]he lowest servants at Hampton Court used the great communal toilet capable of seating fourteen people at once named the ‘Common Jakes’ or the ‘Great House of Easement’. This giant facility discharged into a tank which was washed clean by the waters of the moat. Even so, the tank emitted a...2011, Lucy Worsley, “The Whole World is a Toilet”, in If Walls Could Talk: An Intimate History of the Home, London: Faber and Faber, →ISBN, page 153
   • He lit candles in the passage next to Patrick's closet, where his lordship wrote his letters, did his easement, took his bath, and knelt on winter nights to say his blackest prayers.2013, Shirley McKay, “A Merry Month”, in Friend & Foe (A Hew Cullen Mystery), Edinburgh: Polygon, →ISBN
5. (model railroading) Transition spiral curve track between a straight or tangent track and a circular curved track of a certain radius or selected radius.
6. Gratification.