Gefesselt

Gefesselt is a German term formed from the verb fesseln and serves as a past participle used as an adjective or in passive constructions. It describes someone or something that is bound, restrained, or fastened physically. In everyday language it can also be used metaphorically to mean being captivated or deeply absorbed, as in a speech, a book, or a performance.

Grammatical notes and variants: Gefesselt can function predicatively, as in Er ist gefesselt (he is bound) or Die Hände sind gefesselt worden (the hands have been bound). It can also be declined as an adjective, with forms such as der Gefesselte (the bound person) or die Gefesselten (the bound ones). The noun form die Fessel refers to the restraint itself, while the verb fesseln means to bind or to fascinate.

Etymology: Gefesselt derives from the verb fesseln, with the usual German prefix ge- forming the past participle, and the ending -t, yielding gefesselt.

Usage and nuances: Physically, gefesselt describes actual restraints (ropes, chains, cuffs). Figuratively, it conveys strong engagement or attention, for example, Die Rede hat das Publikum gefesselt. The term often appears in legal, historical, literary, or journalistic contexts, occasionally in descriptions of restraint or captivity, but it is also common in non-literal expressions of fascination.

See also: Fessel, Fesseln, Gefangenschaft, Gefährdung (cross-reference to related concepts of binding, captivity, and restraint).