handcuff
Americannoun
verb (used with object)
-
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
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.
“This is a family town,” the arresting officer tells jeering onlookers as he and the two others handcuff Gamble.
From Slate • May 4, 2026
While he was in hospital he was under 24-hour guard by prison officers but it was not deemed necessary to handcuff him.
From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026
Asked about the raid and agents’ conduct, DHS said, “ICE does not zip tie or handcuff children.”
From Salon • Mar. 26, 2026
These steps wouldn’t handcuff discretion; it would discipline it.
From Barron's • Dec. 10, 2025
We change bandages, handcuff Peeta back to his support, and settle down to sleep.
From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins
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.
