Shackles
/ˈʃækəlz/noun
Metal restraints used to confine a person's wrists or ankles, or anything that restricts freedom.
Did you know?The word ultimately comes from an old Germanic root meaning “ankle” or “leg joint,” which is why early restraints were literally named for the body parts they bound.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*skakkô / *skakkalaz
“A fastening or restraint, likely tied to something that catches or hooks”
Old English
OE
sceacul / sceacle
“A shackle, fetter, or bond”
Middle English
ME
shakel
“A fetter or restraint for the hands or feet”
Modern English
English
shackle
“A metal link or restraint used to confine movement”
Modern English
English
shackles
“Plural form used for restraints or metaphorical bondage”