Meanings
- Free of anxiety; not stressed or tense.
1 more example
Into the trees / Past meadow grounds / And further away from my home / Baying behind me / I hear the hounds / Flock's chasing to find me alone / A trail of sickness / Leading to me / If I am haunted / Then you will see / Searching the darkness / And emptiness / I'm hiding away from the sun / Will never rest / Never be at ease / All my matter's expired so I run
2005, “Reverie / Harlequin Forest”, in Mikael Åkerfeldt (lyrics), Ghost Reveries, performed by Opeth, Sweden - marchinggovernmentIn a relaxed position with the feet apart rather than at attention.
- marchinggovernmentAllowed to refrain from being in rigid formation.
When marching at ease, you must march in orderly ranks in silence, but you need not keep step or march at attention.
1984, Wayne R. Gustafson, Military requirements for petty officer third class, page 3-282 more examples
At this command, the soldiers will carry their firelocks as they please, as prescribed in the soldier's drill, No 120, and are no longer required to march with the same step, or to observe silence ; the files will march at ease ; but they will be careful not to confuse the ranks, and the front rank must never pass before the guide, who is on the directing side, and that the two last ranks always preserve about three feet distance from each other.
1809, William Duane, The American military libraryIf the column be composed of a considerable number of battalions, the commander can march it at ease, as a column of route.
1821, Pierce Darrow, Winfield Scott, Scott's Militia Tactics, page 133
- A command to be at ease.
At ease, privates!
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
- Middle Englishat ese
- Englishat ease
From Middle English at ese, calque of Old French a eise, from a (“at”) + eise (“ease”).
More words from Middle English
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Catalan a gust
- a gustfree of anxiety
Chinese Mandarin 放心, 安心
- 放心 (fàngxīn)free of anxiety
- 安心 (ānxīn)free of anxiety
- 安逸 (ānyì)free of anxiety
- 舒適 /舒适 (shūshì)free of anxiety
- 自在 (zìzai)free of anxiety
- 稍息 (shàoxī)military: in a relaxed position
- 稍息 (shàoxī)(military) allowed to refrain from rigid formation
- 稍息 (shāoxī)command to be at ease
Czech v klidu, pohov
- v klidufree of anxiety
- pohovcommand to be at ease
Danish rør, rør
- rørmilitary: in a relaxed position
- rørcommand to be at ease
Finnish rauhassa, kaikessa rauhassa
- rauhassafree of anxiety
- kaikessa rauhassafree of anxiety
- lepoasennossamilitary: in a relaxed position
- levossamilitary: in a relaxed position
- lepomilitary: in a relaxed position
- omaan tahtiin(military) allowed to refrain from rigid formation
French à l'aise, repos
- à l'aisefree of anxiety
- reposmilitary: in a relaxed position
- repos(military) allowed to refrain from rigid formation
German bequem, gemütlich
- bequemfree of anxiety
- gemütlichfree of anxiety
- unbefangenfree of anxiety
- ohne Trittfree of anxiety
- rührt euchmilitary: in a relaxed position
- rührenmilitary: in a relaxed position
- ohne Tritt(military) allowed to refrain from rigid formation
Greek ημιανάπαυση
- ημιανάπαυση (imianápafsi)free of anxiety
Hungarian nyugodt, pihenj
- nyugodtfree of anxiety
- pihenjmilitary: in a relaxed position
Irish ar áis, ar áis
- ar áismilitary: in a relaxed position
- ar áis(military) allowed to refrain from rigid formation
Italian riposo, rilassato
- riposofree of anxiety
- rilassatofree of anxiety
- a proprio agiofree of anxiety
Japanese 安心
- 安心 (anshin)free of anxiety
Korean 열중쉬어
- 열중쉬어 (yeoljungswieo)command to be at ease
Māori whakatakupe, māhorahora
- whakatakupefree of anxiety
- māhorahorafree of anxiety
- mahurufree of anxiety
- whakapītaumilitary: in a relaxed position
Persian راحت باش!
- راحت باش! (râhat bâš!)command to be at ease
Polish spocznij, spocznij
- spocznijmilitary: in a relaxed position
- spocznijcommand to be at ease
Portuguese à vontade, à vontade
- à vontadefree of anxiety
- à vontademilitary: in a relaxed position
- descansar!military: in a relaxed position
- descansar!(military) allowed to refrain from rigid formation
Romanian pe loc repaus
- pe loc repausmilitary: in a relaxed position
Russian рассла́бленный, споко́йный
- рассла́бленный (rassláblennyj)free of anxiety
- споко́йный (spokójnyj)free of anxiety
- непринуждённый (neprinuždjónnyj)free of anxiety
- вольно (volʹno)military: in a relaxed position
- вольно! (volʹno!)command to be at ease
Spanish a gusto, en descanso
- a gustofree of anxiety
- en descansomilitary: in a relaxed position
- en descanso(military) allowed to refrain from rigid formation
Swedish manöver
- manövermilitary: in a relaxed position
Tagalog nakatayok, tayok
- nakatayokfree of anxiety
- tayokfree of anxiety
Turkish rahat
- rahatfree of anxiety
Cite this entry
at ease. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/at%20ease
“at ease.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/at%20ease. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “at ease,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/at%20ease.
Source: at ease on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.