coffle
[kaw-fuh l, kof-uh l]
- a line of animals, prisoners, or slaves chained and driven along together.
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- to chain in a coffle.
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Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for coffle
Historical Examples
He was not only walking by the Broadway coffle, he was creeping by.
Literature and LifeWilliam Dean Howells
Of course they are closer or wider apart in the coffle, according to the number to be coffled, and to the length of the chain.
The Anti-Slavery Examiner, Part 3 of 4American Anti-Slavery Society
The overseer had bought some slaves at Selma, from a drove or coffle passing through the place.
The Anti-Slavery Examiner, OmnibusAmerican Anti-Slavery Society
He was collecting a coffle of slaves, with a view to sell them to the Europeans on the Gambia as soon as the rains should be over.
I found him sitting in his baloon, surrounded by several slatees who proposed to join the coffle.
coffle
- (esp formerly) a line of slaves, beasts, etc, fastened together
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Word Origin
C18: from Arabic qāfilah caravan
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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