Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CUM'BER, v.t. [Dan. kummer, distress, incumbranee, grief; D. kommeren; G. kümmern, to arrest, to concern, to trouble, to grieve; Fr. encombrer, to encumber.]

1. To load, or crowd. A variety of frivolous arguments cumbers the memory to no purpose. – Locke.
2. To check, stop or retard, as by a load or weight; to make motion difficult; to obstruct. Why asks he what avails him not in fight, / And would but cumber and retard his flight. – Dryden.
3. To perplex or embarrass; to distract or trouble. Martha was cumbered about much serving. – Luke x.
4. To trouble; to be troublesome to; to cause trouble or obstruction in, as any thing useless. Thus, brambles cumber a garden or field. [See Encumber, which is more generally used.]