shackled

Shackled is the past participle of the verb shackle and an adjective describing someone or something restrained by shackles or similar restraints. A shackle is a metal band or ring fitted around a limb and secured with a lock, traditionally used to immobilize the wrists or ankles, often connected by a chain.

Historically, shackles have been used to restrain prisoners, slaves, captives, or animals. They have appeared in many cultures and periods, ranging from simple iron restraints to more elaborate leg irons and manacles. In modern times, shackles are still employed in some security and correctional practices, particularly for transport or secure confinement, though their use is guided by laws, safety considerations, human-rights standards, and evolving best practices. Variants include handcuffs, leg irons, and other restraint devices, with preferences and restrictions varying by jurisdiction and context.

In everyday language, shackled can describe obstacles or obligations that limit freedom or autonomy, such as being shackled by debt, tradition, or contractual commitments. The term often carries metaphorical weight in discussions of politics, law, and social conditions, where freedom of movement or action is constrained by external forces.

See also: fetters, manacles, irons, chains, restraints.