1. A restraint that confines or restricts freedom (especially something used to tie down or restrain a prisoner)
   "The prisoner's ankles were bound with iron shackles";
   - bond, hamper, trammel
    
2. A U-shaped bar; the open end can be passed through chain links and closed with a bar
   "They secured the gate with a heavy-duty shackle and padlock"

1. Bind the arms of
   "The captors shackled the prisoner's arms behind his back";
   - pinion
    
2. Restrain with fetters
   "The prisoners were shackled before transport";
   - fetter, enfetter

Derived forms: shackling, shackles, shackled

Type of: bar, confine, constrain, constraint, hold, restrain, restraint

Part of: padlock

Encyclopedia: Shackle, Thomas