encumber
en-KUM-berverbMeaning to weigh down with a burden
Memory hook en-CUCUMBER-ed: weighed down. Sven staggers home with a giant crate of a hundred cucumbers in his arms. He is encumbered: so weighed down he can barely move.
The hikers were encumbered by tents, pots and three days of food.
In context The young couple’s plans were encumbered by debt; every dollar they earned went to old bills instead of the house they dreamed of.
Similar burden, weigh down, saddle, load
Opposite free, relieve, unburden
From Old French encombrer, “to block up, burden.”