trammel

• POS: Noun

CIDE DICTIONARY

trammel, n. [F. tramail, trémail, a net, LL. tremaculum, tremacle, a kind of net for taking fish; L. tres three + macula a mesh. See Three, and Mail armor.].

•  A kind of net for catching birds, fishes, or other prey.  Carew.  [1913 Webster]
•  A net for confining a woman's hair.  Spenser.  [1913 Webster]
•  A kind of shackle used for regulating the motions of a horse and making him amble.  [1913 Webster]
•  Fig.: Whatever impedes activity, progress, or freedom, as a net or shackle.  [1913 Webster]

  "[They] disdain the trammels of any sordid contract."  [1913 Webster]
•  An iron hook of various forms and sizes, used for handing kettles and other vessels over the fire.  [1913 Webster]
•  An instrument for drawing ellipses, one part of which consists of a cross with two grooves at right angles to each other, the other being a beam carrying two pins (which slide in those grooves), and also the describing pencil.  [1913 Webster]

trammel, v. t. 

•  To entangle, as in a net; to catch.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]
•  To confine; to hamper; to shackle.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

trammel, n. & v.
--n.
1 (usu. in pl.) an impediment to free movement; a hindrance (the trammels of domesticity).
2 a triple drag-net for fish, which are trapped in a pocket formed when they attempt to swim through.
3 an instrument for drawing ellipses etc. with a bar sliding in upright grooves.
4 a beam-compass.
5 US a hook in a fireplace for a kettle etc.
--v.tr. (trammelled, trammelling; US trammeled, trammeling) confine or hamper with or as if with trammels.

Etymology

in sense 'net' ME f. OF tramail f. med.L tramaculum, tremaculum, perh. formed as TRI- + macula (MAIL(2)): later history uncert.

THESAURUS

trammel

Oregon boat, anchor, arrest, bar, bearing rein, bilbo, bind, bit, block, bond, bonds, brake, bridle, burden, camisole, chain, chains, check, checkrein, checks, chock, circumscribe, clog, collar, confine, constipate, constrain, constraints, countercheck, cramp, cripple, cuffs, cumber, curb, curb bit, curbs, damper, deter, deterrents, doorstop, drag, drag sail, drift anchor, drift sail, drogue, embarrass, embrangle, enchain, encumber, enmesh, ensnarl, entangle, entoil, entrammel, entrap, entwine, fasten, fetter, gag, gyve, gyves, halter, hamper, hamstring, handcuff, handcuffs, handicap, handicaps, hinder, hindrances, hobble, hobbles, hog-tie, holdback, hopple, hopples, impede, involve, irons, lame, lash, leading strings, leash, lime, limit, lumber, make fast, manacle, martingale, moor, muzzle, net, obstacles, obstruct, peg down, pelham, picket, pillory, pin down, pinion, press down, put in irons, reins, remora, restrain, restraint, restraints, rope, saddle with, scotch, sea anchor, secure, shackle, shackles, snaffle, snags, snarl, spoke, stagnate, stay, stifle, stocks, stop, straightjacket, strait-waistcoat, straitjacket, stranglehold, strap, tangle, tether, tie, tie down, tie up, toil, trammels, weigh down, yoke

ROGET THESAURUS

trammel

Hindrance

N hindrance, prevention, preclusion, obstruction, stoppage, embolus, embolism, infarct, interruption, interception, interclusion, hindrance, impedition, retardment, retardation, embarrassment, oppilation, coarctation, stricture, restriction, restraint, inhibition, blockade, interference, interposition, obtrusion, discouragement, discountenance, impediment, let, obstacle, obstruction, knot, knag, check, hitch, contretemps, screw loose, grit in the oil, bar, stile, barrier, turnstile, turnpike, gate, portcullis, beaver dam, trocha, barricade, wall, dead wall, sea wall, levee breakwater, groyne, bulkhead, block, buffer, stopper, boom, dam, weir, burrock, drawback, objection, stumbling-block, stumbling-stone, lion in the path, snag, snags and sawyers, encumbrance, incumbrance, clog, skid, shoe, spoke, drag, drag chain, drag weight, stay, stop, preventive, prophylactic, load, burden, fardel, onus, millstone round one's neck, impedimenta, dead weight, lumber, pack, nightmare, Ephialtes, incubus, old man of the sea, remora, difficulty, insuperable, obstacle, estoppel, ill wind, head wind, trammel, tether, hold back, counterpoise, damper, wet blanket, hinderer, marplot, killjoy, party pooper, party crasher, interloper, trail of a red herring, opponent, hindering, obstructive, obstruent, impeditive, impedient, intercipient, prophylactic, impedimentary, in the way of, unfavorable, onerous, burdensome, cumbrous, cumbersome, obtrusive, hindered, windbound, waterlogged, heavy laden, hard pressed, unassisted &c (assist), single-handed, alone, deserted, occurrent nubes.

VB hinder, impede, filibuster, impedite, embarrass, keep off, stave off, ward off, obviate, avert, antevert, turn aside, draw off, prevent, forefend, nip in the bud, retard, slacken, check, let, counteract, countercheck, preclude, debar, foreclose, estop, inhibit, shackle, restrict, obstruct, stop, stay, bar, bolt, lock, block, block up, choke off, belay, barricade, block the way, bar the way, stop the way, forelay, dam up, put on the brake, scotch the wheel, lock the wheel, put a spoke in the wheel, put a stop to, traverse, contravene, interrupt, intercept, oppose, hedge in, hedge round, cut off, inerclude, interpose, interfere, intermeddle, cramp, hamper, clog, clog the wheels, cumber, encumber, incumber, handicap, choke, saddle with, load with, overload, lay, lumber, trammel, tie one's hands, put to inconvenience, incommode, discommode, discompose, hustle, corner, drive into a corner, run foul of, fall foul of, cross the path of, break in upon, thwart, frustrate, disconcert, balk, foil, faze, feaze, feeze, baffle, snub, override, circumvent, defeat, spike guns, spoil, mar, clip the wings of, cripple, put an extinguisher on, damp, dishearten, discountenance, throw cold water on, spoil sport, lay a wet blanket, throw a wet blanket on, cut the ground from under one, take the wind out of one's sails, undermine, be in the way of, stand in the way of, act as a drag, hang like a millstone round one's neck.

Prison

N prison, prison house, jail, gaol, cage, coop, den, cell, stronghold, fortress, keep, donjon, dungeon, Bastille, oubliette, bridewell, house of correction, hulks, tollbooth, panopticon, penitentiary, guardroom, lockup, hold, round house, watch house, station house, sponging house, station, house of detention, black hole, pen, fold, pound, inclosure, isolation (exclusion), penal settlement, penal colony, bilboes, stocks, limbo, quod, calaboose, chauki, choky, thana, workhouse, Newgate, Fleet, Marshalsea, King's Bench, Queen's Bench, bond, bandage, irons, pinion, gyve, fetter, shackle, trammel, manacle, handcuff, straight jacket, strait jacket, strait-jacket, strait-waistcoat, hopples, vice, vise, yoke, collar, halter, harness, muzzle, gag, bit, brake, curb, snaffle, bridle, rein, reins, bearing rein, martingale, leading string, tether, picket, band, guy, chain, cord, cavesson, hackamore, headstall, jaquima, lines, ribbons, bolt, deadbolt, bar, lock, police lock, combination lock, padlock, rail, wall, stone wall, paling, palisade, fence, picket fence, barbed wire fence, Cyclone fence, stockade fence, chain-link fence, barrier, barricade, drag.