easy
easy [easy easier easiest] adjective, adverb BrE [ˈiːzi] NAmE [ˈiːzi]
adjective (eas·ier, easi·est)
1. not difficult; done or obtained without a lot of effort or problems
•an easy exam/job
• He didn't make it easy for me to leave.
• Their house isn't the easiest place to get to.
•vegetables that are easy to grow
•Several schools are within easy reach (= not far away).
•It can't be easy for her, on her own with the children.
•It's easy for you to tell me to keep calm, but you're not in my position.
•It would be the easiest thing in the world to fall in love with him.
Opp: ↑hard
2. comfortable, relaxed and not worried
• I'll agree to anything for an easy life.
• I don't feel easy about letting the kids go out alone.
Opp: ↑uneasy
3. only before noun open to attack; not able to defend yourself
•She's an easy target for their criticisms.
•The baby fish are easy prey for birds.
4. only before noun pleasant and friendly
Syn: ↑easy-going
•He had a very easy manner.
Opp: ↑awkward
5. not usually before noun (informal, disapproving) (of women)willing to have sex with many different people
see also ↑easily
more at free and easy at ↑free adj., the soft/easy option at ↑option, within (easy) reach (of sth) at ↑reach n., have/give sb a rough/an easy ˈride at ↑ride n., an easy/a soft touch at ↑touch n.
Word Origin:
Middle English (also in the sense ‘comfortable, tranquil’): from Old French aisie, past participle of aisier ‘put at ease, facilitate’, from the phrase a aise ‘at ease’.
Thesaurus:
easy adj.
1.
•vegetables that are easy to grow
simple • • straightforward • • effortless • • uncomplicated • |informal, often disapproving cushy • |written undemanding • • painless •
Opp: difficult, Opp: hard
easy/simple/straightforward/painless to do sth
a/an easy/simple/straightforward/undemanding task
a/an easy/simple/straightforward matter/decision/test/question
Easy or simple? Easy means ‘not difficult’: an easy test/task is one that causes you no difficulties because you have the ability to do it. Simple means ‘not complicated’: a simple task is one that needs only very few, basic actions and does not usually depend on people's abilities.
2.
•We set off at an easy pace.
leisurely • • at leisure • • lazy • |written unhurried • • languid •
a/an easy/leisurely/unhurried/languid manner
a/an easy/leisurely/lazy day/morning/afternoon/time
a/an easy/leisurely trip/stroll/ride/drive
Example Bank:
•Doing all that while injured isn't exactly easy.
•I found the exam quite easy.
•It is easy enough to see how it happened.
•It is the easiest thing in the world to blame your parents.
•It looks deceptively easy to hit the ball into the hole.
•It was all too easy to forget why we had been sent there.
•Life is getting easier for us.
•Playing tennis is not as easy as it looks.
•The written test was ridiculously easy.
•These changes should make your job easier.
•We want to make it as easy as possible for members to participate.
•Writing is not easy for her.
•a book designed for quick and easy reference
•He didn't make it easy for me to leave.
•His easy charm soon won her over.
•I don't feel easy about letting the kids go out alone.
•I want to plant some vegetables that are easy to grow.
•I'll agree to anything for an easy life.
•It can't be easy for her, on her own with the children.
•It was a really easy exam.
•It's easy for you to tell me to keep calm, but you're not in my position.
•Several schools are within easy reach.
•Their house isn't the easiest place to get to.
•Their success at the game did not make for an easy relationship off court.
•There are no easy answers to a problem like this.
•This encyclopedia is designed for quick and easy reference.
Idioms: ↑I'm easy ▪ ↑as easy as as as as falling off a log ▪ ↑easier said than done ▪ ↑easy come, easy go ▪ ↑easy does it ▪ ↑easy money ▪ ↑easy on the ear ▪ ↑go easy on somebody ▪ ↑go easy on something ▪ ↑have an easy time ▪ ↑not come easy ▪ ↑of easy virtue ▪ ↑on easy street ▪ ↑rest easy ▪ ↑stand easy ▪ ↑take it easy ▪ ↑take the easy way out
Derived Word: ↑easiness
adverb (eas·ier, easi·est)used to tell sb to be careful when doing sth
•Easy with that chair— one of its legs is loose.
Word Origin:
Middle English (also in the sense ‘comfortable, tranquil’): from Old French aisie, past participle of aisier ‘put at ease, facilitate’, from the phrase a aise ‘at ease’.
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