handcuff
Americannoun
verb (used with object)
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handcuffs,
present (3rd person singular)
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handcuffed,
past participle, past
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handcuffing
present participle
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to put handcuffs on.
-
to restrain or thwart (someone) by or as if by handcuffing.
The amendments handcuffed the committee and prevented further action.
verb
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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handcuffsimple
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handcuffssimple
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have handcuffedperfect
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has handcuffedperfect
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am handcuffingprogressive
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are handcuffingprogressive
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is handcuffingprogressive
-
have been handcuffingperfect progressive
-
has been handcuffingperfect progressive
Past
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handcuffedsimple
-
had handcuffedperfect
-
was handcuffingprogressive
-
were handcuffingprogressive
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had been handcuffingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of handcuff
Explanation
A handcuff is a metal restraint that closes around a person's wrist. When police arrest a suspect, they often put handcuffs on him. You'll almost always find this word in its plural form, since handcuffs come in pairs, one for each wrist. It's also a verb, meaning "to put handcuffs on a person." Police officers carry handcuffs with them, so that they're ready to handcuff criminals and troublemakers. Handcuffs hold the wrists close to each other, usually behind the wearer's back. The earliest meaning of handcuff was "decorative sleeve," in the 1640s.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Having retirement dollars mainly in traditional savings plans can handcuff older workers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
“This is a family town,” the arresting officer tells jeering onlookers as he and the two others handcuff Gamble.
From Slate ● May 4, 2026
But in a statement released two days after the incident, the department said the officer was attempting to handcuff the teen.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 5, 2026
Asked about the raid and agents’ conduct, DHS said, “ICE does not zip tie or handcuff children.”
From Salon ● Mar. 26, 2026
The deputies didn't handcuff Walter or shackle him, so he walked into court waving to family and friends.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
“Please don’t do this to me,” Bakker said before he was led away in handcuffs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026
A grainy image purporting to show the moment of arrest shows five men sitting on the ground, shirtless and in handcuffs under guard by police officers.
From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026
Federal agents were waiting on the tarmac to greet them, handcuffs at the ready.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
Don’t doubt the sincerity of his desire to see Mr. Netanyahu in handcuffs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
The handcuffs were in full view, but Robbie did not appear ashamed or even aware of them as he faced Cecilia and listened gravely to what she was saying.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
The incident ended when two other officers arrived on scene to restore order, at which point Lopez was handcuffed, Kremer said Monday evening.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026
On July 17, a few days after Garay left Manta, Véliz saw pictures online of her son handcuffed and surrounded by members of El Salvador’s navy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
He remained in his car for several minutes before police showed up, ICE handcuffed him, and an ambulance arrived.
From Slate ● Sep. 23, 2026
Pace bowler Brydon Carse has been removed from England's squad for the second Test against Pakistan amid an ongoing investigation into an incident that led to him being handcuffed by police.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
A huge throng of handcuffed black men and women, numbering in the hundreds, filled the narrow street from side to side.
From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane
"His handcuffing in hospital at a point when he must have been close to death, all require separate examination."
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026
The footage showed officers turning him on to his side, handcuffing his hands behind his back and telling him he was under arrest.
From BBC ● Jun. 6, 2026
It featured a montage of clips appearing to show ICE officers chasing down, tackling and handcuffing people in what looks to be the city of Chicago.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 3, 2025
Videos on social media showed federal authorities in Charlotte handcuffing people and leading them into cars.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 16, 2025
The suggestion was firmly rejected, a sergeant informing Mr. Muckle that handcuffing a bunch of middle- school kids wouldn’t be good for the public safety department’s image.
From "Hoot" by Carl Hiaasen
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
