handcuff
verb · noun
Simple meaning
To restrain or restrict.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
handkuhfSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈhændkəf
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
verb
Confine or restrain with or as if with manacles or handcuffs
“The police handcuffed the suspect at the scene of the crime.”
transitive
To apply handcuffs to someone.
transitivefiguratively
To restrain or restrict.
noun
rarely singular
One ring of a locking fetter for the hand or one pair.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- B2 · Upper Intermediate (estimated)
- Frequency
- Rare
- Formality
- Technical
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More ways to use handcuff
- “The police handcuffed the suspect at the scene of the crime.”verb
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.