noun
- one of a pair of metal rings connected by a chain, used to restrain a person’s wrists
Usage: usually used in plural
verb
- to put handcuffs on someone
- to limit or restrict someone’s ability to act
Usage: figurative
Examples
- The police officer put handcuffs on the suspect.
- She struggled against the tight handcuffs.
- The detective handcuffed the criminal before putting him in the car.
- Budget cuts have handcuffed the school’s ability to hire new teachers.
- The metal handcuffs left marks on his wrists.
- They handcuffed the prisoner to the bench.
- New regulations handcuff small businesses with excessive paperwork.