shackle
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈʃækl̩/
ipa: /ˈʃæk(ə)l/
rhymes: -ækəl
Forms: form: shackles
Etymology: From Middle English shakel, schakkyl, schakle (“a fetter, shackle; coupling used to connect a plough or wagon to a draft chain”), from Old English sċacul, sċeacel, sċeacul (“fetter, shackle”), from Proto-West Germanic *skakul, from Proto-Germanic *skakulaz (“shackle”), possibly from *skakaną (“to shake; to swing; to escape”), from Proto-Indo-European *skeg-, *skek- (“to shake; to stir”). However, this is doubted by the Oxford English Dictionary because *skeg-, *skek- lack the meaning of attaching or fastening.
Sense 3 (“length of cable or chain equal to 12½ or 15 fathoms”) derives from the original distance between two shackles (sense 1.1.3) connecting lengths of cable or chain together.
Cognates
* Danish skagle (“carriage trace”)
* Dutch schakel (“clasp; link; shackle”)
* German Schäckel (“shackle”)
* Icelandic skökull (“carriage pole”)
* Swedish skakel (“loose shaft of a carriage”)
Senses: examples: text: The prisoner lay in shackles in his gloomy cell.
text: Slaves cannot breathe in England; if their lungs / Receive our air, that moment they are free, / They touch our country and their ſhackles fall. / That's noble, and beſpeaks a nation proud / And jealous of the bleſſing.
ref: 1785, William Cowper, “Book II. The Time-piece.”, in The Task, a Poem, […], London: […] J[oseph] Johnson; […], →OCLC, page 47:
text: Tom got in, and Haley, drawing out from under the wagon seat a heavy pair of shackles, made them fast around each ankle. A smothered groan of indignation ran through the whole circle, […]
ref: 1851 June – 1852 April, Harriet Beecher Stowe, “The Property is Carried Off”, in Uncle Tom’s Cabin; or, Life among the Lowly, volume I, Boston, Mass.: John P[unchard] Jewett & Company; Cleveland, Oh.: Jewett, Proctor & Worthington, published 20 March 1852, →OCLC, page 147:
text: As installed at Hormel's Fremont, Nebr[aska] plant, pleasanter and safer working conditions for hog dispatching personnel, […] are some other plus factors for this new hog sticking-bleeding method. […] Conveyors replace the shackle and shackle hoist and a precisely administered incision replaces catch-as-catch-can sticking.
ref: 1956 April 14, “Look … No Shackles, No Bruised Hams”, in Edward R. Swem, editor, The National Provisioner, volume 134, number 15, Chicago, Ill.: National Provisioner, Inc., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 18, column 1:
synonyms: fetter
hyponyms: handcuff
hobble
hopple
legcuff
manacle
wristlet
glosses: A restraint fitted over a human or animal appendage, such as an ankle, finger, or wrist, normally used in a pair joined by a chain.
synonyms: fetter
hyponyms: handcuff
hobble
hopple
legcuff
manacle
wristlet
glosses: A restraint fitted over a human or animal appendage, such as an ankle, finger, or wrist, normally used in a pair joined by a chain.
A U-shaped piece of metal secured with a bolt or pin across the ends, or a hinged metal loop secured with a quick-release locking pin mechanism, used for attaching things together while allowing for some degree of movement; a clevis.
synonyms: fetter
hyponyms: handcuff
hobble
hopple
legcuff
manacle
wristlet
glosses: A restraint fitted over a human or animal appendage, such as an ankle, finger, or wrist, normally used in a pair joined by a chain.
Part of a padlock that consists of a loop of metal (round or square in cross section) that encompasses what is being secured by the lock.
examples: text: Shackles come in various sizes and are used to join recovery items to the vehicle or to each other. They come in two shapes and are known as either bow shackles or D-shackles. The bow shackle is the preferred shape because it permits easier attachment of bulky items and is the most common style of shackle now in use.
ref: 2019, Vic Widman, “4WD Recovery Equipment”, in 4WD Driving Skills: A Manual for On- and Off-road Travel, 2nd edition, Clayton South, Melbourne, Vic.: CSIRO Publishing, →ISBN, page 164:
synonyms: fetter
hyponyms: handcuff
hobble
hopple
legcuff
manacle
wristlet
glosses: A restraint fitted over a human or animal appendage, such as an ankle, finger, or wrist, normally used in a pair joined by a chain.
A hook, ring, or other device for connecting, holding, lifting, etc.; specifically (nautical), a small incomplete ring secured with a bolt across the ends, used to connect lengths of cable or chain together, or to keep a porthole closed.
examples: text: Soles, fetters, ⁊ ſhackles, with horſelock and pad, / a cow-houſe for winter, ſo meete to be had: / A ſtie for a bore, and a hogſcote for hog, / a rooſt for thy hennes, and a couch for thy dog.
ref: 1580, Thomas Tusser, “A Digression to Husbandlie Furniture”, in Fiue Hundred Pointes of Good Husbandrie: […], London: […] Henrie Denham [beeing the assigne of William Seres] […], →OCLC, stanza 21, folios 16, verso – 17, recto:
text: IF a horſe be galled in the paſtorne, on the heele, or vpon the cronet, either vvith ſhackell or locke, as it many times happens in the Champion countries, vvhere the Farmers vſe much to teather their horſes: then for ſuch a ſoare you ſhall take hony and verdigreaſe, and boyle them together till the one halfe be conſumed, and that it looke red: then after it is a little cooled, you ſhall annoynt the ſoare place therevvith tvvice a day, and then ſtrevv upon it a little chopt floxe to keepe on the ſalue.
ref: 1610, Gervase Markham, “Of the Shackle-gall, or Gall in the Pastorne, either by Shackel or Locke”, in Markhams Maister-peece. Or, What doth a Horse-man Lacke. Containing All Possible Knowledge whatsoeuer which doth Belong to any Smith, Farrier, or Horse-leech, Touching the Curing of All Manner of Diseases or Sorrances in Horses; […], London: […] Nicholas Okes, and are to be sold by Arthur Iohnson, […], →OCLC, 2nd book (Containing All Cures Chyrurgicall, […]), page 364:
text: I should have thought some sleek and sober mule / Long train'd in shackles to procession pace, / More suited to my Lord of Seville's use / Than this good war-horse, . .
ref: 1814, Robert Southey, “Canto XXV”, in Roderick, the Last of the Goths, London: […] [F]or Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […], by James Ballantyne and Co. […], →OCLC, page 318:
topics: agriculture
business
lifestyle
synonyms: word: fetter
word: hobble
extra: a short strap tied between the legs of a horse, allowing it to wander a short distance but not to run off
word: hopple
extra: a short strap tied between the legs of a horse, allowing it to wander a short distance but not to run off
hyponyms: handcuff
hobble
hopple
legcuff
manacle
wristlet
glosses: A restraint fitted over a human or animal appendage, such as an ankle, finger, or wrist, normally used in a pair joined by a chain.
Synonym of hobble or hopple (“a short strap tied between the legs of a horse, allowing it to wander a short distance but not to run off”).
topics: rail-transport
railways
transport
synonyms: fetter
dragbar
hyponyms: handcuff
hobble
hopple
legcuff
manacle
wristlet
glosses: A restraint fitted over a human or animal appendage, such as an ankle, finger, or wrist, normally used in a pair joined by a chain.
A link for connecting railroad cars; a draglink, drawbar, or drawlink.
synonyms: fetter
hyponyms: handcuff
hobble
hopple
legcuff
manacle
wristlet
glosses: A restraint fitted over a human or animal appendage, such as an ankle, finger, or wrist, normally used in a pair joined by a chain.
Ellipsis of shackle-bone (“wristbone, carpal; wrist”).
examples: text: They firſt vvaſh the dead body, paint him, clothe him, and ſo conueigh him to his Dormitorie, vvhich is ſpacious and neat, vvherein they bury his Armolets, Bracelets, Shackles and ſuch Treaſure, concluding their Ceremonies vvith Mimmicke geſtures and eiaculations: vvhich, vvith the Sacrifice of a Goat, vpon his Graue, puts a period to their Burials.
ref: 1634, T[homas] H[erbert], “[Angola]”, in A Relation of Some Yeares Trauaile, Begunne Anno 1626. into Afrique and the Greater Asia, […], London: […] William Stansby, and Jacob Bloome, →OCLC, pages 9–10:
text: [M]oſt of the Men and VVomen […] had all Ear-rings made of Gold, and Gold Shackles about their Legs and Arms: […]
ref: 1697, William Dampier, chapter XVIII, in A New Voyage Round the World. […], London: […] James Knapton, […], →OCLC, page 514:
synonyms: fetter
hyponyms: handcuff
hobble
hopple
legcuff
manacle
wristlet
glosses: A restraint fitted over a human or animal appendage, such as an ankle, finger, or wrist, normally used in a pair joined by a chain.
A fetter-like band worn on an appendage as an ornament; an anklet, an armlet, a bracelet, a wristlet.
examples: text: [A] Servant commonly is leſs free in Mind than in Condition; his very VVill ſeems to be in bonds and ſhackles, and Deſire it ſelf under a kind of Durance and Captivity.
ref: 1664; first published 1694, Robert South, “A Sermon Preached before the University, at Christ-Church, Oxon. 1664.”, in Twelve Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions. […], volume II, London: […] J[ohn] H[eptinstall] for Thomas Bennet […], →OCLC, page 69:
text: Virtue's a Shackle, under fair Diſguiſe, / To fetter Fools, vvhile vve bear off the Prize.
ref: 1728 (date written), Edward Young, The Brothers. A Tragedy. […], London: […] R[obert] Dodsley […], published 1753, →OCLC, Act II, page 27:
text: He had to eat with knife and fork; he had to use napkin, cup and plate; he had to learn his book, he had to go to church; he had to talk so properly that speech was become insipid in his mouth; whithersoever he turned, the bars and shackles of civilization shut him in and bound him hand and foot.
ref: 1876, Mark Twain [pseudonym; Samuel Langhorne Clemens], chapter XXXV, in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Hartford, Conn.: The American Publishing Company, →OCLC, pages 269–270:
text: Cast off the shackles of yesterday! / Shoulder to shoulder into the fray!
ref: 1963 April–December (date recorded), Richard M[orton] Sherman, Robert B[ernard] Sherman, “Sister Suffragette”, in Mary Poppins: Original Cast Soundtrack, performed by Glynis Johns, Burbank, Calif.: Buena Vista Distribution Company, published September 1964, →OCLC:
glosses: A restraint on one's action, activity, or progress.
examples: text: Once the cables are at five shackles to each anchor, stop engines and stop windlass operations. The vessel will then be seen to lie to five shackles on the Port (Riding Cable) and five shackles on the starboard (Sleeping Cable).
ref: 2007, David J. House, “Anchor Operations and Deployment”, in Ship Handling: Theory and Practice, Oxford, Oxfordshire; Burlington, Mass.: Butterworth-Heinemann, →ISBN, page 92:
topics: nautical
transport
glosses: A length of cable or chain equal to 12½ fathoms (75 feet or about 22.9 metres), or later to 15 fathoms (90 feet or about 27.4 metres).
Derived terms: word: beshackle
word: D-shackle
word: enshackle
word: harp shackle
word: H-shackle
word: shackle bolt
word: shackle-bone
word: shackled
word: shackle joint
word: shackleless
word: span shackle
word: spring shackle