Adjacent Words

Trammel definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

TRAM'MEL, n.
1. A kind of long net for catching birds or fishes.
The trammel differs not much from the shape of the bunt.
2. A kind of shackles used for regulating the motions of a horse, and making him amble.
3. An iron hook, of various forms and sizes, used for hanging kettles and other vessels over the fire.
4. Trammels, in mechanics, a joiner's instrument for drawing ovals upon boards. One part consists of a cross with two grooves at right angles; the other is a beam carrying two pins which slide in those grooves, and also the describing pencil.
TRAM'MEL, v.t.
1. To catch; to intercept.
2. To confine; to hamper; to shackle.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a fishing net with three layers; the outer two are coarse mesh and the loose inner layer is fine mesh [syn: trammel net, trammel]
2: an adjustable pothook set in a fireplace
3: a restraint that is used to teach a horse to amble
4: a restraint that confines or restricts freedom (especially something used to tie down or restrain a prisoner) [syn: shackle, bond, hamper, trammel] v
1: catch in or as if in a trap; "The men trap foxes" [syn: trap, entrap, snare, ensnare, trammel]
2: place limits on (extent or access); "restrict the use of this parking lot"; "limit the time you can spend with your friends" [syn: restrict, restrain, trammel, limit, bound, confine, throttle]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English tramayle, a kind of net, from Old French tramail, from Late Latin tremaculum, from Latin tres three + macula mesh, spot — more at three Date: 14th century 1. a net for catching birds or fish; especially one having three layers with the middle one finer-meshed and slack so that fish passing through carry some of the center net through the coarser opposite net and are trapped 2. an adjustable pothook for a fireplace crane 3. a shackle used for making a horse amble 4. something impeding activity, progress, or freedom ; restraint — usually used in plural 5. a. an instrument for drawing ellipses b. a compass for drawing large circles that consists of a beam with two sliding parts — usually used in plural c. any of various gauges used for aligning or adjusting machine parts II. transitive verb (-meled or -melled; -meling or trammelling) Date: circa 1606 1. to catch or hold in or as if in a net ; enmesh 2. to prevent or impede the free play of ; confine Synonyms: see hamper

Oxford Reference Dictionary

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.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Trammel Tram"mel, n. [F. tramail, tr['e]mail, a net, LL. tremaculum, tremacle, a kind of net for taking fish; L. tres three + macula a mesh. See Three, and Mail armor.] 1. A kind of net for catching birds, fishes, or other prey. --Carew. 2. A net for confining a woman's hair. --Spenser. 3. A kind of shackle used for regulating the motions of a horse and making him amble. 4. Fig.: Whatever impedes activity, progress, or freedom, as a net or shackle. [They] disdain the trammels of any sordid contract. --Jeffrey. 5. An iron hook of various forms and sizes, used for handing kettles and other vessels over the fire. 6. (Mech.) (a) 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. (b) A beam compass. See under Beam.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Trammel Tram"mel, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Trammeledor Trammelled; p. pr. & vb. n. Trammeling, or Trammelling.] 1. To entangle, as in a net; to catch. [R.] --Shak. 2. To confine; to hamper; to shackle.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Ellipsograph El*lip"so*graph, n. [Ellipse + graph: cf. F. ellipsographe.] An instrument for describing ellipses; -- called also trammel.

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. n. 1. Net. 2. Impediment, fetter, shackle, clog, bond, chain, restraint, hindrance. 3. Pot-hook. II. v. a. Shackle, hamper, clog, fetter, confine, restrain, hinder, cramp, cumber, tie, curb, restrict.

Moby Thesaurus

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