cumber

1) To occupy obstructively (OED), found in an amusing early by-name.

1333 Henry Comberkichyn, Rastrick. In a later example, when a wood was being surveyed, the noun may have meant ‘encumbrance’, the trees being an obstruction: 1662 this was not measured for cumbere of the wood but by estimacon contay [neth] 50tie acres, Bilsdale. To encumber in the sense of to hamper or be a trouble was used by Chaucer in c.1386 but examples before 1600 are rare: 1542 Providede alway that Agnes my wif shall not be ... incombred to pay the saide some of thre pounde sexe shillings and eight pence, Halifax.

dates 1333 1386 1662

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