shackle

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A metal fastening, usually one of a pair, for encircling and confining the ankle or wrist of a prisoner or captive; a fetter or manacle.
2. n. A hobble for an animal.
3. n. Any of several devices, such as a clevis, used to fasten or couple.
4. n. A restraint or check to action or progress. Often used in the plural: economic shackles that precluded further investment.
5. v. To confine with shackles; fetter.
6. v. To fasten or connect with a shackle.
7. v. To restrict, confine, or hamper. See Synonyms at hamper¹.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A bent or curved bar, as of iron, forming a link or staple used independently and not forming part of a continuous chain. The bar of a padlock which passes through the staple.
2. n. A form of insulator used for supporting telegraph-wires where the strain is considerable. It is usually of porcelain, with a hole through the center through which a bolt passes. This bolt secures the insulating spool to two iron straps by which it is secured to the pole or other support.
3. n. Hence Figuratively, anything which hinders, restrains, or confines.
4. n. In heraldry, some part of a chain or fetter used as a bearing, usually a single long, narrow link.
5. n. The wrist.
6. n. Synonyms . Shackle, Gyves, Manacle, Fetter, Shackle and gyves are general words, being: applicable to chains for either the arms or the legs, or perhaps any other part of the body, but gyves is now only elevated or poetic. By derivation, manacles are for the hands, and fetters for the feet.
7. To chain; confine with shackles; manacle or fetter; hence, figuratively, to confine or bind so as to prevent or impede free action; clog; embarrass; hamper; impede; trammel.
8. To join or make fast with a shackle.
9. n. Stubble.
10. n. A raffle.
11. In electricity, to place an insulator between the ends of (a wire that has been cut).

Wiktionary

1. n. A restraint fit over a human or animal appendage, such as a wrist, ankle or finger. Usually used in plural, to indicate a pair joined by a chain; a hobble.
2. n. A U-shaped piece of metal secured with a pin or bolt across the opening, or a hinged metal loop secured with a quick-release locking pin mechanism.
3. n. figuratively, usually in plural A restraint on one's action, activity, or progress.
4. v. To restrain using shackles; to place in shackles.
5. v. By extension, to render immobile or incapable; to inhibit the progress or abilities of someone or something.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. Prov. Eng. Stubble.
2. n. Something which confines the legs or arms so as to prevent their free motion; specifically, a ring or band inclosing the ankle or wrist, and fastened to a similar shackle on the other leg or arm, or to something else, by a chain or a strap; a gyve; a fetter.
3. n. Hence, that which checks or prevents free action.
4. n. A fetterlike band worn as an ornament.
5. n. A link or loop, as in a chain, fitted with a movable bolt, so that the parts can be separated, or the loop removed; a clevis.
6. n. A link for connecting railroad cars; -- called also drawlink, draglink, etc.
7. n. The hinged and curved bar of a padlock, by which it is hung to the staple.
8. v. To tie or confine the limbs of, so as to prevent free motion; to bind with shackles; to fetter; to chain.
9. v. Figuratively: To bind or confine so as to prevent or embarrass action; to impede; to cumber.
10. v. United States To join by a link or chain, as railroad cars.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. a U-shaped bar; the open end can be passed through chain links and closed with a bar
2. v. restrain with fetters
3. n. a restraint that confines or restricts freedom (especially something used to tie down or restrain a prisoner)
4. v. bind the arms of