shackling

Verb

shackle (third-person singular simple present shackles, present participle shackling, simple past and past participle shackled)

1. (transitive) To place (a person or animal) in shackles (noun etymology 1 sense 1); to immobilize or restrain using shackles.
   • A man giuen ouer to ſenſual appetite carrieth fetters in his eyes, vvhervvith he shackleth, glevv, vvhervvith he layeth faſt hold, hookes, vvhervvith he catcheth, flames vvhervvith he burneth, ſhafts, vvhervvith he transfixeth both his ovvne and the ſoules of other men: ſhackled vvith theſe...1633, Hier[emas] Drexlius [i.e., Jeremias Drexel], “The Fifth Allurement to Incontinency, Wandring Eyes”, in R. S. [Robert Stanford?], transl., Nicetas or The Triumph ouer Incontinencie […], [Rouen...

   Synonyms:

   beshackle, cuff, enshackle, fetter, handcuff, manacle

   Antonyms:

   uncuff, unfetter, unhandcuff, unmanacle, unshackle

2. (transitive) To connect or couple (something) to another thing using a shackle (noun etymology 1 sense 1.1.1, etymology 1 sense 1.1.3, etc.).
3. (transitive) To provide (something) with a shackle.
4. (figuratively, transitive) To inhibit or restrain the ability, action, activity, or progress of (someone or something); to render (someone or something) incapable or ineffectual.
   • This law would effectively shackle its opposition.

   Synonyms:

   bind, hamshackle, tie

   Antonyms:

   free, liberate, unbind, unshackle, untie

5. (figuratively, obsolete, transitive) To combine (a substance) with another substance.
   • Bitterneſs is produced by a Sulphur vvell impregnated, either vvith an Alkaline, or an Acid Salt, but alſo ſhackled vvith Earth.1675 April 4 (Gregorian calendar), Nehemiah Grew, “[Several Lectures Read before the Royal Society.] A Discourse of the Diversities and Causes of Tasts Chiefly in Plants. Read before the Royal...
6. (intransitive, reflexive) Of two things: to connect or couple together.

See all 21 meanings of shackle