Easy

[ee-zee] /ˈi zi/

adjective, easier, easiest.
1.
not hard or difficult; requiring no great labor or effort:
a book that is easy to read; an easy victory.
2.
free from pain, discomfort, worry, or care:
He led an easy life.
3.
providing or conducive to ease or comfort; comfortable:
an easy stance; an easy relationship.
4.
fond of or given to ease; easygoing:
an easy disposition.
5.
not harsh or strict; lenient:
an easy master.
6.
not burdensome or oppressive:
easy terms on a loan.
7.
not difficult to influence or overcome; compliant:
an easy prey; an easy mark.
8.
free from formality, constraint, or embarrassment:
He has an easy manner.
9.
effortlessly clear and fluent:
an easy style of writing.
10.
readily comprehended or mastered:
an easy language to learn.
11.
not tight or constricting:
an easy fit.
12.
not forced or hurried; moderate:
an easy pace.
13.
not steep; gradual:
an easy flight of stairs.
14.
Commerce.

15.
Nautical.

adverb
16.
Informal. in an easy manner; comfortably:
to go easy; take it easy.
noun
17.
a word formerly used in communications to represent the letter E.
/ˈiːzɪ/
adjective easier, easiest
1.
not requiring much labour or effort; not difficult; simple: an easy job
2.
free from pain, care, or anxiety: easy in one’s mind
3.
not harsh or restricting; lenient: easy laws
4.
tolerant and undemanding; easy-going: an easy disposition
5.
readily influenced or persuaded; pliant: she was an easy victim of his wiles
6.
not tight or constricting; loose: an easy fit
7.
not strained or extreme; moderate; gentle: an easy pace, an easy ascent
8.
(economics)

9.
(informal) ready to fall in with any suggestion made; not predisposed: he is easy about what to do
10.
(slang) sexually available
11.
(informal) easy on the eye, pleasant to look at; attractive, esp sexually
12.
woman of easy virtue, a sexually available woman, esp a prostitute
adverb
13.
(informal) in an easy or relaxed manner
14.
(informal) easy does it, go slowly and carefully; be careful
15.
go easy on

16.
(military) stand easy, a command to soldiers standing at ease that they may relax further
17.
take it easy

verb easies, easying, easied
18.
(usually imperative) Also easy-oar. to stop rowing
adj.

c.1200, “at ease,” from Old French aisie “comfortable, at ease, rich, well-off” (Modern French aisé), past participle of aisier “to put at ease,” from aise (see ease).

Sense of “not difficult to deal with” is mid-14c.; of conditions, “comfortable,” late 14c. The concept of “not difficult” was expressed in Old English and early Middle English by eaþe (adv.), ieþe (adj.), apparently common West Germanic, but of disputed origin. Easy Street first printed 1901 in “Peck’s Red-Headed Boy.” Easy money attested by 1896; to take it easy “relax” is from 1867; easy does it recorded by 1891. Easy rider (1912) was U.S. black slang for “sexually satisfying lover.” The easy listening radio format is from 1965, defined by William Safire (in 1986) as, “the music of the 60’s played in the 80’s with the style of the 40’s.” Related: Easier; easiest.

Related Terms

breathe easy, free-and-easy, go easy, over easy, speakeasy, take it easy, take things easy