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   fet·ter

   /ˈfedər/

   noun

   • 1. a chain or manacle used to restrain a prisoner, typically placed around the ankles: "he lay bound with fetters of iron"
   • ▪ a restraint or check on someone's freedom to do something, typically one considered unfair or overly restrictive: "the fetters of discipline and caution"

   verb

   • 1. restrain with chains or manacles, typically around the ankles: "there were no chains immediately available to fetter the prisoners" Similar shacklemanaclehandcuffclap in ironsput in chainschain (up)bindtie (up)tetherropehobblesecurerestraininformal:cuffrare:enfettergyve
   • ▪ restrict or restrain (someone) in an unfair or undesirable fashion: "he was not fettered by tradition" Similar restrictrestrainconstrainconfinelimithinderhamperimpedeobstructhandicaphamstringencumberinhibitcheckcurbtie downtie someone's handscramp someone's styleliterary:trammel

   Word Origin Old Englishfeter, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch veter ‘a lace’, from an Indo-European root shared by foot.

   Scrabble Points: 9

   • F

     4

   • E

     1

   • T

     1

   • T

     1

   • E

     1

   • R

     1

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