handcuff
English · Thesaurus
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handcuff
- /ˈhændˌkʌf/
Where it comes from
From hand + cuff (“end of shirtsleeve”). Possibly an adaptation of Middle English handcops (“shackles for the hand, handcuffs”), from Old English handcops, from hand + cops, cosp (“fetter, chains”), but due to a lack of continuity (centuries between Old English and the modern term), generally analyzed as a re-invention. Nominal form first appears c. 1591 in the publications of John Florio. Verbal form first appears c. 1649.
verb handcuffs · handcuffing · handcuffed
-
To apply handcuffs to someone.
The sheriff had brought along all the handcuffs necessary, and in a few seconds he had handcuffed Koswell. He threw a pair of the steel bracelets to Dick and another pair to Tom, and the Rovers had the satisfaction of handcuffing Josiah Crabtree and Tad Sobber. Then the sheriff made prisoners of the
Similar: manacle
- to restrain or restrict. Dang, I’m handcuffed by these regulations. I’d like to help but it’d be illegal.
Translations
Every language
noun ring of a locking fetter for the hand
| Español | esposa, marroca |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 수갑 sugap |
| 日本語 | 手錠 tejō |
| 中文 | 手銬 /手铐 shǒukào |
| हिन्दी | हथकड़ी hathkaṛī |
| Kiswahili | pingu |
| Português | algema |
| Français | menotte |
| Deutsch | Handschelle |
| Italiano | manetta |
| Ελληνικά | χειροπέδα cheiropéda, χειροπέδες cheiropédes |
| Română | cătușă |
| Русский | нару́чник narúčnik, нару́чники narúčniki |
| Tiếng Việt | còng, còng tay |
| العربية | صَفَد ṣafad, أَصْفَاد ʔaṣfād |
| עברית | אֲזִקִּים, אזיק azík |
verb to apply handcuffs
| Español | esposar, enmarrocar, maniatar |
|---|---|
| Português | algemar |
| Français | menotter |
| Deutsch | fesseln |
| Italiano | ammanettare |
| Română | încătușa, fereca |
| עברית | אזק azák |
Talk about this word "handcuff." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/handcuff. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. handcuff. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/handcuff "handcuff." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/handcuff.Cite this
@misc{handcuff_2026,
title = {handcuff},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/handcuff},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
