noun
fetter
FET-uh
Fetter (noun) means a chain or similar restraint used to bind a person or animal, usually by the legs. Example: “The prisoner's fetters clanked as he walked.”
noun
1
A chain or similar restraint used to bind a person or animal, usually by the legs.
"The prisoner's fetters clanked as he walked."
"The horse was held by a fetter around each front leg."
"Museums sometimes display the iron fetters once used on convicts."
verb
1
To restrain or hamper someone or something.
"Excessive paperwork can fetter a small business."
"The new rules do not fetter the committee's freedom to act."
"She refused to be fettered by other people's expectations."
How to use fetter
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA chain for the legs, or to hold something back.
When to use it
It is fairly formal and often literary, especially when used figuratively.
Common pairings
in fetters
fetter someone's freedom
cast off the fetters
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The prisoner's _____ clanked as he walked.
Etymology
The word comes from Middle English feter and Old English feter, and is traced further back through Germanic to an Indo-European root meaning to step or walk. It is related to foot.
Related words
Rhymes for fetter
See all rhymes for fetter →Frequently asked questions
What does fetter mean?
As a noun it is a chain used to bind someone by the legs. As a verb it means to restrain or hamper.
Is fetter usually singular or plural?
As a noun it is usually plural, so people say fetters.
What is the past tense of fetter?
The past tense and past participle are fettered.
What is the meaning of fetter?
"fetter" (noun) means a chain or similar restraint used to bind a person or animal, usually by the legs.
