Word: incumbent Part of Speech: adj Etymology: From Latin incumbentem + English -ent (suffix denoting the causing, doing, or promoting of an action). Incumbentem is the accusative singular of incumbēns (“reclining”), the present active participle of incumbō (“to lay upon, to lean or recline on; to fall upon, to press down on”), from in- (prefix meaning ‘against; into; on, upon’) + *cumbō (“to lie down, recline”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱewb-). Pronunciation: /ɪnˈkʌmb(ə)nt/, /ɪŋ-/, /ɪnˈkʌmbənt/, /ɪnˈkʊmbən/ 1. Chiefly followed by on or upon: leaning, or lying, reclining, or resting, on something else. Example: [I]f the great Doore, be Arched, vvith ſome braue Head, cut in fine Stone or Marble for the Key of the Arch, and tvvo Incumbent Figures gracefully leaning vpon it, tovvards one another, as if they meant to conferre; I ſhould thinke this a ſufficient entertainement, for the firſt Reception, of any Iudicious Sight, […] Example: [U]pon the tops of high Mountains, the Air vvhich bears againſt the reſtagnant Quick-ſilver, is leſs preſſ'd by the leſs ponderous incumbent Air; and conſequently is not able totally to hinder the deſcent of ſo tall and heavy a Cylinder of Quick-ſilver, as at the bottom of ſuch Mountains did but maintain an Æquilibrium vvith the incumbent Atmoſphere. 2. Chiefly followed by on or upon: leaning, or lying, reclining, or resting, on something else. Example: [T]he anther either looks inwards or outwards. When it is turned inwards, or is fixed to that side of the filament which looks towards the pistil or centre of the flower, the anther is incumbent or intorse, as in Magnolia and the Water-Lily. When turned outwards, or fixed to the outer side of the filament, it is extorse, as in the Tulip-tree. 3. Chiefly followed by on or upon: leaning, or lying, reclining, or resting, on something else. Example: the incumbent toe of a bird 4. Being the current holder of an office or a title; specifically (Christianity, obsolete), of an ecclesiastical benefice. Labels: figuratively Example: If the incumbent senator dies, he is replaced by a person appointed by the governor. Example: But whether parishes,—as usually understood for places bounded in regard of the profits from the people therein, payable only to a pastor incumbent there;—I say, whether such parishes were extant in this age, may well be questioned, as inconsistent with the community of ecclesiastic profits, which then seemed jointly enjoyed by the bishop and his clergy. 5. Oppressive, pressuring. Labels: figuratively Example: The North muſt again have been alarmed, and agitated, by the invaſion of the Huns; and the nations vvho retreated before them, muſt have preſſed vvith incumbent vveight on the confines of Germany. 6. Followed by on or upon: imposed on one as an obligation, especially due to one's office or position. Labels: figuratively Example: Proper behaviour is incumbent on all holders of positions of trust. Example: Certainly all men truly Zelous, vvill moſt induſtriously endeavor to perform the first kind of good VVorks alvvaies; thoſe, I mean, that are incumbent on all Christians. 7. Hanging or leaning over. Labels: figuratively, poetic Example: Hath the cleft Centre open'd vvide to Thee? / Death's inmoſt Chambers didſt Thou ever ſee? / E'er knock at his tremendous Gate, and vvade / To the black Portal thro' th' incumbent Shade? Example: [T]he ſpreading beech, that o'er the ſtream / Incumbent hung, […] 8. Putting much effort into an activity or some work. Labels: figuratively, obsolete Example: And lovve menne ſpiritually are ſuche, as are incumbente and dooe reſt on filthy or vile and tranſitory thynges. Example: [H]e foresaw not that he was losing for ever the opportunity of acquiring habits of firm and incumbent application, of gaining the art of controuling, directing, and concentrating the powers of his own mind for earnest investigation,—an art far more essential than even that learning which is the primary object of study. 9. Weighing on one's mind. Labels: figuratively, obsolete Example: Ambition, and Covetouſneſſe are Paſſions alſo that are perpetually incumbent, and preſſing; vvhereas Reaſon is not perpetually preſent, to reſiſt them: and therefore vvhenſoever the hope of impunity appears, their effects proceed.