handcuff
1 of 2noun
hand·cuff ˈhan(d)-ˌkəf 
: a metal fastening that can be locked around a wrist and is usually connected by a chain or bar with another such fastening —usually used in plural
handcuff
2 of 2verb
handcuffed; handcuffing; handcuffs
transitive verb
1
: to apply handcuffs to : manacle
2
: to hold in check : make ineffective or powerless
handcuffed by strict regulations
Synonyms
Noun
- band
- bind
- bond
- bracelet
- chain
- cuff(s)
- fetter
- irons
- ligature
- manacle(s)
- shackle
Verb
- bind
- chain
- enchain
- enfetter
- fetter
- gyve
- manacle
- pinion
- shackle
- trammel
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun the man reluctantly held out his wrists so the policeman could snap on handcuffs Verb wanted to take the trip, but was handcuffed by her responsibility to watch her ailing father the fear that the new mandatory, standardized tests will handcuff the state's teachers, who will have to specifically tailor their lesson plans for the test
Recent Examples on the Web
Ashley Remkus | Aremkus@al.com, al, 26 Aug. 2022 Officers continue to yell commands and handcuff Lewis before carrying him outside and rendering medical aid before paramedics arrive. Bethany Bruner, USA TODAY, 3 Sep. 2022 After her arrest, Bare was able to slip out of her left handcuff, exit the police vehicle and flee. Tristan Balagtas, PEOPLE.com, 7 June 2022 Burkins felt the clasp of a handcuff around his right wrist. Dallas News, 16 Sep. 2021 The 45-second clip shows police handcuff Piccini facedown on the street, then lift her up and throw her into the back of the van. Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 July 2021 Several officers entered the cell to handcuff and subdue Gilbert. Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2021 A few minutes later, an officer removed the handcuff and began collecting Jackson's property. Andrew Welsh-huggins And Farnoush Amiri, Star Tribune, 15 Apr. 2021 Another officer is seen in the footage removing Jackson's handcuff. NBC News, 15 Apr. 2021 San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 July 2022 Three other deputies help Johnson wrestle Escalante to the ground and handcuff him. NBC News, 27 Apr. 2022 Three other deputies help Johnson wrestle Escalante to the ground and handcuff him. Stefanie Dazio, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2022 Police said the man held his arms under his body and resisted when officers tried to handcuff him, and that officers used to force to get ahold of his arms. David Hernandez, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 July 2022 When Dixon began to resist, the two men fell to the ground and Riley and a Flynn tried to handcuff Dixon. Jessica Anderson, Baltimore Sun, 15 July 2022 The officers proceeded to pat McGough down, threatened to handcuff her, and eventually escorted her to a police car parked in front of a dining hall to take her to an inpatient psych stay. Megan Leonhardt, Fortune, 12 July 2022 The video shows officers appearing to struggle to handcuff Blake Sr. Tori B. Powell, CBS News, 7 July 2022 The man complied, and as the officer prepared to handcuff him, Desadier ran up on them and kicked the man in the face, authorities said. From Usa Today Network And Wire Reports, USA TODAY, 4 July 2022 See More
Noun
Blakely and several deputies testified that it’s common for law enforcement to handcuff and detain witnesses at crime scenes. Ashley Remkus | Aremkus@al.com, al, 26 Aug. 2022 Officers continue to yell commands and handcuff Lewis before carrying him outside and rendering medical aid before paramedics arrive. Bethany Bruner, USA TODAY, 3 Sep. 2022 After her arrest, Bare was able to slip out of her left handcuff, exit the police vehicle and flee. Tristan Balagtas, PEOPLE.com, 7 June 2022 Burkins felt the clasp of a handcuff around his right wrist. Dallas News, 16 Sep. 2021 The 45-second clip shows police handcuff Piccini facedown on the street, then lift her up and throw her into the back of the van. Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 July 2021 Several officers entered the cell to handcuff and subdue Gilbert. Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2021 A few minutes later, an officer removed the handcuff and began collecting Jackson's property. Andrew Welsh-huggins And Farnoush Amiri, Star Tribune, 15 Apr. 2021 Another officer is seen in the footage removing Jackson's handcuff. NBC News, 15 Apr. 2021 Verb
Deputies scrambled to pin her to the ground and handcuff her. San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 July 2022 Three other deputies help Johnson wrestle Escalante to the ground and handcuff him. NBC News, 27 Apr. 2022 Three other deputies help Johnson wrestle Escalante to the ground and handcuff him. Stefanie Dazio, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2022 Police said the man held his arms under his body and resisted when officers tried to handcuff him, and that officers used to force to get ahold of his arms. David Hernandez, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 July 2022 When Dixon began to resist, the two men fell to the ground and Riley and a Flynn tried to handcuff Dixon. Jessica Anderson, Baltimore Sun, 15 July 2022 The officers proceeded to pat McGough down, threatened to handcuff her, and eventually escorted her to a police car parked in front of a dining hall to take her to an inpatient psych stay. Megan Leonhardt, Fortune, 12 July 2022 The video shows officers appearing to struggle to handcuff Blake Sr. Tori B. Powell, CBS News, 7 July 2022 The man complied, and as the officer prepared to handcuff him, Desadier ran up on them and kicked the man in the face, authorities said. From Usa Today Network And Wire Reports, USA TODAY, 4 July 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
Noun
1649, in the meaning defined above
Verb
1649, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
handcuff 1 of 2
noun
hand·cuff ˈhand-ˌkəf
: a metal ring that can be locked around a person's wrist —usually used in pl.
handcuff
2 of 2verb
handcuffed; handcuffing
: to put handcuffs on
handcuffing
verb
1
as in tying
to confine or restrain with or as if with chains wanted to take the trip, but was handcuffed by her responsibility to watch her ailing father Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- tying
- binding
- shackling
- hampering
- chaining
- tieing
- confining
- pinioning
- constraining
- fettering
- lashing
- enchaining
- attaching
- trammeling
- securing
- restricting
- trammelling
- hindering
- impeding
- limiting
- bitting
- hog-tying
- linking
- hobbling
- enfettering
- gyving
- manacling
- curbing
- trussing
- fastening
- ironing
- joining
- tangling
- entangling
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- freeing
- rescuing
- releasing
- untying
- unshackling
- emancipating
- liberating
- detaching
- disengaging
- loosing
- undoing
- unbinding
- unfastening
- unfettering
- untangling
- untieing
2
as in impeding
to create difficulty for the work or activity of the fear that the new mandatory, standardized tests will handcuff the state's teachers, who will have to specifically tailor their lesson plans for the test Synonyms & Similar Words
- impeding
- hampering
- hindering
- obstructing
- embarrassing
- shackling
- handicapping
- inhibiting
- restraining
- delaying
- disrupting
- hobbling
- hog-tying
- fettering
- constraining
- encumbering
- blocking
- cramping
- clogging
- stymieing
- tying
- thwarting
- tying up
- short-circuiting
- holding back
- arresting
- barricading
- chaining
- curbing
- strangling
- trammelling
- trammeling
- frustrating
- reining
- stifling
- tieing up
- binding
- balking
- manacling
- confining
- blockading
- tethering
- retaining
- tieing
- retarding
- checking
- leashing
- interfering (with)
- braking
- cramping one's style
- giving a hard time
- holding up
- sabotaging
- choking
- roadblocking
- muzzling
- smothering
- baffling
- foiling
- haltering
- derailing
- suffocating
- repressing
- stumping
- miring
- suppressing
- bogging (down)
- hedging (in)
- hemming (in)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- assisting
- aiding
- facilitating
- helping
- opening
- freeing
- clearing
- releasing
- loosening
- untying
- liberating
- promoting
- unplugging
- smoothing
- encouraging
- unclogging
- furthering
- unstopping
- untieing
- making way