incumbentadj詞源 1/ɪnˈkʌmb(ə)nt/

• 1

  Chiefly followed by on or upon: leaning, or lying, reclining, or resting, on something else.

  • [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, […]
  • [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

  biologybotanynatural-sciencesChiefly followed by on or upon: leaning, or lying, reclining, or resting, on something else.

  • [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

  biologynatural-scienceszoologyChiefly followed by on or upon: leaning, or lying, reclining, or resting, on something else.

  • the incumbent toe of a bird
• 4

  Being the current holder of an office or a title; specifically (Christianity, obsolete), of an ecclesiastical benefice.

  • If the incumbent senator dies, he is replaced by a person appointed by the governor.
  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Proper behaviour is incumbent on all holders of positions of trust.
  • 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.

  • 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?
  • [T]he ſpreading beech, that o'er the ſtream / Incumbent hung, […]
• 8

  obsoletePutting much effort into an activity or some work.

  • And lovve menne ſpiritually are ſuche, as are incumbente and dooe reſt on filthy or vile and tranſitory thynges.
  • [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.

incumbentnoun詞源 2/ɪnˈkʌmb(ə)nt/

• 1

  The current holder of an office or title; (specifically, Christianity) the holder of an ecclesiastical benefice.

  • He has always remained friendly to me, though before his promotion, when he was an incumbent of this diocese, we had a little controversy about the Bible Society.
  • But if they had waited about the store to see what would happen when he arrived who until last night anyway must have still believed himself the incumbent, they were disappointed. […] A few days later they learned that the new smith was living in the house […]
• 2

  businessA holder of a position as supplier to a market or market segment that allows the holder to earn above-normal profits.

  • American capitalism is becoming like its European cousin: established firms with the scale and scope to deal with a growing thicket of regulations are doing well, but new companies are withering on the vine or selling themselves to incumbents.