handcuff
Meaning
A pair of lockable linked metal rings for securing a prisoner's wrists.
To put handcuffs on someone.
Structure
Usage
The officer produced a pair of steel handcuffs.
They had to handcuff the suspect to prevent his escape.
The tight handcuffs left marks on his wrists.
Etymology
The word 'handcuff' is a transparent English compound formed from two native elements. The first, 'hand', directly names the body part to be restrained. The second, 'cuff', originally described a type of glove or a turned-up end of a sleeve, evolving to signify any band that encircles, such as the band of a sleeve. By the mid-17th century, these elements combined to create a literal, descriptive term for a restraining device: a 'cuff' for the 'hand'. This logical construction bypasses complex classical roots, instead utilizing familiar Anglo-Saxon vocabulary to name a practical object with stark clarity.
Analysis
- hand: From Old English 'hand'. A Germanic root of uncertain deeper origin, referring to the body part at the end of the arm. In this compound, it specifies the location of restraint. - cuff: Likely from Middle English 'cuffe', meaning 'glove' or 'mitten', possibly of Scandinavian origin. In this compound, it refers to a cylindrical band or covering that encircles a part of the body.