(easier, easiest)
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
1.
If a job or action is easy, you can do it without difficulty or effort, because it is not complicated and causes no problems.
The shower is easy to install...
This is not an easy task...
= simple
? difficult
ADJ: oft it v-link ADJ to-inf, ADJ to-inf
• easily
Dress your child in layers of clothes you can remove easily.
= simply
ADV: usu ADV with v
2.
If you describe an action or activity as easy, you mean that it is done in a confident, relaxed way. If someone is easy about something, they feel relaxed and confident about it.
He was an easy person to talk to.
...when you are both feeling a little easier about the break up of your relationship.
ADJ: oft ADJ about n
• easily
They talked amiably and easily about a range of topics.
ADV: ADV with v
3.
If you say that someone has an easy life, you mean that they live comfortably without any problems or worries.
She has not had an easy life.
? hard
ADJ: usu ADJ n
4.
If you say that something is easy or too easy, you are criticizing someone because they have done the most obvious or least difficult thing, and have not considered the situation carefully enough.
That's easy for you to say...
It was all too easy to believe it.
ADJ: v-link ADJ, oft it v-link ADJ to-inf, ADJ to-inf [disapproval]
5.
If you describe someone or something as easy prey or as an easy target, you mean that they can easily be attacked or criticized.
Tourists have become easy prey...
The World Bank, with its poor environmental record, is an easy target for blame.
ADJ: ADJ n
6.
If you tell someone to go easy on something, you are telling them to use only a small amount of it. (INFORMAL)
Go easy on the alcohol.
PHRASE: V inflects, PHR n
7.
If you tell someone to go easy on, or be easy on, a particular person, you are telling them not to punish or treat that person very severely. (INFORMAL)
'Go easy on him,' Sam repeated, opening the door...
PHRASE: V and ADJ inflect, PHR n
8.
If someone tells you to take it easy or take things easy, they mean that you should relax and not do very much at all. (INFORMAL)
It is best to take things easy for a week or two.
PHRASE: V and ADJ inflect
9.