ease

/ˈēz/

Middle English ese, from Anglo-French eise, aise convenience, comfort, ultimately from Latin adjacent-, adjacens neighboring

noun

  1. the state of being comfortable: such as

  2. freedom from pain or discomfort

  3. freedom from care

verb

  1. to free from something that pains, disquiets, or burdens

  2. to make less painful : alleviate

  3. to lessen the pressure or tension of especially by slackening, lifting, or shifting

trying to ease her of her worries

idiom

  1. to become less severe

The slope gradually eased off.