▪ I. fetter, n.
(ˈfɛtə(r))
Forms: 1 feotor, feter, fetor, 3–7 feter, 4 fet(t)re, south. vetre, (5 feder, fettir, -our, -yr, fetur, -yr, 6 fetrer, fettar), 6– fetter.
[OE. feter fem., cogn. with OS. feteros pl. m. (Du. veter m. lace), OHG. fe{zced}{zced}era, MHG. fe{zced}{zced}er (early mod.Ger. fesser) fem., ON. fiǫturr m. (Sw. fjättrar pl.):—OTeut. *feterâ, -ro-z, f. fet- (:—OAryan ped-) ablaut-form of fôt foot. Cf. L. pedica, Gr. πέδη of identical meaning and root.]
1. A chain or shackle for the feet of a human being or animal; hence gen. a bond, shackle. (rare in sing.)
| c 800 Corpus Gl., Pedo, vel paturum, feotor. c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Mark v. 4 Forðon oftust mið feotrum..ᵹebunden wæs. c 1000 Ags. Ps. lxxviii. 11 On feterum fæste. c 1290 S. Eng. Leg. I. 107/20 Ake euere he hadde ane peire feteres. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 1255 Festned fettres to her fete under fole wombes. c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 1313 Of al hure chaynes he haþ him raft; & ek hure vetres oundo. c 1430 Syr Gener. (Roxb.) 2741 A pare of fetures on him fest. c 1489 Caxton Sonnes of Aymon xvi. 370 His feters that were on his fete. a 1541 Wyatt in Tottell's Misc. (Arb.) 82 Clinkyng of fetrers would such Musick craue. 1652 Ashmole Theat. Chem. 216 Ryngyng of Feteris maketh no mere sown. 1794 Burke Sp. W. Hastings, They..loaded their limbs with fetters. 1876 Humphreys Coin Coll. Man. ix. 107 Antony presented Artavasdes..to Cleopatra in golden fetters. |
b. pl. = Captivity.
| 1704 Addison Poems, Campaign, Those who 'scape the fetters and the sword. a 1839 Praed Poems (1864) I. 210, I..thought that freedom was as sweet as fetters. |
2. transf. and fig. Anything that confines, impedes, or restrains; a check, restraint.
| c 1000 Wanderer 21 (Gr.) Ic modsefan minne sceolde..feterum sælan. 1560 Rolland Crt. Venus i. 866 Deliuering it..To the beirar agane..But falt or fetter. 1602 Shakes. Ham. iii. iii. 25 We will Fetters put vpon this feare. 1676 Dryden Aurengz. Prol. 9 Passion's too fierce to be in Fetters bound. 1781 Cowper Hope 449 The sacred book..Bound in the fetters of an unknown tongue. 1818 Cruise Digest (ed. 2) IV. 530 The Court of Chancery will not loose the fetters he has put upon himself. 1851 Robertson Serm. i. xviii. (1866) 305 He who puts fetters on the mind. 1871 Freeman Norm. Conq. (1876) IV. xvii. 66 Fortresses, which became in truth the fetters of England. |
▪ II. fetter, v.1
(ˈfɛtə(r))
Forms: 4–6 feter(e, fet(t)re, (5 fedre, -dyr, fether, fet(t)yr, fetur), 6– fetter.
[f. prec. n.; cf. OFris. fitera, OHG. (ka-) fe{zced}arôn, ON. fiǫtra.]
1. trans. To bind with or as with fetters; to chain, fasten, shackle.
| c 1300 Havelok 2758 He..dide him binde and fetere wel With gode feteres al of stel. c 1386 Chaucer Knt.'s T. 371 Elles had I dweld..I-fetered in his prisoun for evere moo. c 1420 Chron. Vilod. 942 He hadde y ffedryde to gedur his leygus two. c 1489 Caxton Sonnes of Aymon xvi. 369 He made to be broughte a grete payre of yrens, and fetred hym wyth theym. 1535 Stewart Cron., The king..in presoun strang, Fetrit richt fast. 1647 Ward Simp. Cobler 54 Is Majestas Imperii growne so kickish, that it cannot stand quiet..unlesse it be fettered? 1791 Mrs. Radcliffe Rom. Forest xii, See that he is strongly fettered. 1835 W. Irving Tour Prairies 276, I now fettered my horse to prevent his straying. 1847 Grote Greece (1862) III. xxxi. 145 The actual chains in which the prisoners had been fettered. |
b. transf. and fig. To impose restraint upon; to confine, impede, restrain. Also with down.
| 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 172 Synne, in the whiche we be wrapped and fettered. a 1586 Sidney Arcad. ii. xxii. 200 Nether her woorthinesse..nor his owne suffering for her..could fetter his ficklenes. 1633 P. Fletcher Poet. Misc. 79 Fond man, that thinks such fire and aire to fetter. 1681 Temple Mem. iii. Wks. 1731 I. 359, I never could..endure to be fetter'd in Business. 1711 Steele Spect. No. 20 ¶4 The generality of the World are fettered by Rules. 1756 C. Lucas Ess. Waters II. 142 All the other mills..have their wheels fettered with icy chains. 1788 Priestley Lect. Hist. v. lxv. 521 The best faculties..may be sunk and fettered by superstition. 1837 J. H. Newman Par. Serm. (ed. 2) III. xxv. 420 Can any..human doctrine fetter down our hearts? 1844 Stanley Arnold (1858) I. v. 207 The surest way to fetter our own progress. |
† 2. To bind (a wheel) with a tire. Obs.
| 1523 Fitzherb. Husb. §5 The wheles..muste be well fettred with wood or yren. |
▪ III. † ˈfetter, v.2 Obs.—1
[? f. *fetter, corruption of faitour.]
trans. See quot.
| 1587 L. Mascall Govt. Cattle (1653) 25 Also there be many men that fetter them, which is, to cut the dew-lap before on the brisket. |
▪ IV. fetter
obs. form of feature.