An archaic term meaning to encumber or burden someone; to weigh down or hinder progress.
From Old French 'encombrer' (to block), possibly influenced by Latin 'cumbra' (obstruction). A rare variant related to the more common 'encumber.'
This word is so obsolete that you'd be hard-pressed to find it in modern writing, but it shows how English had multiple words for the same concept that eventually consolidated around 'encumber.'
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