en·cum·ber /ɪnˈkʌmbə $ -ər/ verb [transitiveT] formalSLOW to make it difficult for you to do something or for something to happen 妨碍,阻碍 SYN burden He died in 1874, heavily encumbered by debt. 他于1874年去世,负债累累。
be encumbered with something The whole process was encumbered with bureaucracy. 整个进程受到官僚主义的阻碍。
n Grammar Encumber is usually passive.
—encumbrance noun [countableC]