ENCUMBER Meaning of ENCUMBER in English [ ɪn'kʌmbə , ɛn- ]■ verb impede or burden.OriginME: from OFr. encombrer 'block up', from en- 'in' + combre 'river barrage'. Concise Oxford English vocab. Сжатый оксфордский словарь английского языка. 2004