incommode

verb

1. (formal, transitive)To make (someone) uncomfortable; to discomfort, to disturb, to trouble.

   “[T]heir Minds are ſo tender and effeminate, that they cannot bear the leaſt Air of Trouble vvithout Diſturbance; and vvhat vvould be a Diverſion to a couragious Soul, grieveth and incommodeth them.”

   “O true believers, enter not the houſes of the prophet, unleſs it be permitted you to eat meat with him, without waiting his convenient time: but when ye are invited, then enter. And when ye ſhall have eaten, diſperſe yourſelves; and ſtay not to enter into familiar diſcourſe: for this incommodeth the prophet.”

   “You can't agree as to any time, Mrs. Moore, vvhen vve can have this third room, can you?—Not that (vvhiſper'd I, loud enough to be heard in the next room; Not that) I vvould incommode the lady: But I vvould tell my vvife vvhenabouts— […]”

   “[H]e ſat ſolitary and penſive vvith his pipe—looking at his lame leg—then vvhiffing out a ſentimental heigh ho! vvhich mixing vvith the ſmoak, incommoded no one mortal.”

   “The dwarf suffered inexpressibly on all sides; but the thing which incommoded him most, was a tall corpulent German, near seven feet high, who stood directly betwixt him and all possibility of his seeing either the stage or the actors.”

2. (formal, transitive)To cause (someone or something) inconvenience; to hinder, to impede, to inconvenience, to obstruct.

   “With respect to the French Prisoners, it is the direction of the President that none be suffered to remain at Sᵗ Kitts at the expence of the U.S. a moment longer than can't be avoided – and that every public ship returning from thence to the U.S. be made to bring away as many Prisoners, as each can take, without too much incommoding the crew.”

   “The city of Lahor is built upon one of theſe five rivers, which is not leſs than our river Loire, and for which there is great need of a like bank, becauſe it maketh great devaſtation, and often changeth its bed, and hath but lately retired itſelf from Lahor for a quarter of a league; which very much incommodeth the inhabitants.”

   “[…] Lady Anne set out in good style to Brighton, with Fanchette by her side and the page behind, comparatively little incommoded by luggage, and so conscious of the pleasures of liberty, that she decided on taking up her abode at the convenient hotel close to Kemp Town, where she could see and be seen by every body.”

   “Señor, this Irishman incommodes me, and when a man incommodes me, […] But, señor, if they incommoded your Government as they do us, I do not wonder that there was a desire to remove them.”

   “Mr. [Samuel Willard] Beakes. If you take delivery service away from a man who has had it for 10 or 15 years and make him walk a mile, you do not call that incommoding him? / Mr. Blakslee. Yes, sir; that would be incommoding him.”

adj

1. (formal, obsolete, transitive)Synonym of incommodious.

   “But although in the actions of vvicked men, vvhen God doth uſe them as Inſtruments for the execution of ſome peculiar vvorks, it may peradventure be ſaid, that God doth determine their vvils, yet it ſeems more incommode to ſay, that God moves and predetermines to al other acts, as to acts of hatred of God, blaſphemie, &c.”

2. (formal, obsolete, transitive)Synonym of incommodious.

   “But, Madam, to be obliging to that exceſs as you are, (pardon me, if I tell you, out of my extream concern, and ſervice for your Grace) is a dangerous quality, and may be very incommode to you; for Civility makes Poets as troubleſom, as Charity makes Beggers; […]”

   “To poſterity perhaps his prints vvill carry an idea of ſomething burleſque; perukes of outrageous length flovving over ſuits of armour compoſe vvonderfull habits. […] In the kit-cat-club, he has poured full-bottoms [i.e., full-bottomed wigs] chiefly over night-govvns: If thoſe ſtreams of hair vvere incommode in a battle, I knovv nothing they vvere adapted to, that can be done in a night-govvn.”

noun

1. (formal, obsolete, transitive)Something which causes inconvenience or trouble; a bother, an incommodity, an inconvenience.

   “And as unto the perſonal meeting of both Princes, the vievving of the Place, and Appointing the Number to come vvith the ſaid Princes; in mine Opinion, ye have taken a right ſubſtantial and diſcrete VVay; praying you effectually to follovv the ſame, allvvays foreſeeing, that the Number be not too great, in avoiding ſundry Incommodes and Inconveniences, that might follovv thereof, as I doubt not, you can right vvell conſider.”