Fetter

Pronunciation

• AusE IPA: /ˈfet.É™/
• RP IPA: /ˈfÉ›t.É™/
• US IPA: /ˈfÉ›t.Éš/
• Rhymes: -É›tÉ™(r)

Origin

Old English feter. Cognate with Dutch veter ("lace").

Full definition of fetter

Noun

1. A chain or similar object used to bind a person or animal – often by its legs (usually in plural).
2. (figurative) Anything that restricts or restrains.
• 1675, John Dryden, Aureng-zebe, Passion's too fierce to be in fetters bound.
• 1818, Mary Shelley, Frankenstein Chapter 6, He looks upon study as an odious fetter; his time is spent in the open air, climbing the hills or rowing on the lake.
• 1910 , Erwin Rosen , In the Foreign Legion Chapter Prolog , That was the turning-point of my life. I broke my fetters, and I fought a hard fight for a new career …

Synonyms

• leg irons

Hyponyms

• handcuff, handcuffs
• leg irons
• manacle, manacles
• shackle, shackles

Verb

1. (transitive) To shackle or bind up with fetters
2. (transitive) To restrain or impede; to hamper.

Derived terms

• unfetter

Hyponyms

• handcuff
• manacle
• shackle