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Origin and history of manacle
manacle(n.)
mid-14c., manicle, "an iron fetter for the hand" (usually in plural), from Old French manicle "manacles, handcuffs; bracelet; armor for the hands," from Latin manicula "handle," literally "little hand," diminutive of manicae "long sleeves of a tunic, gloves; armlets, gauntlets; handcuffs, manacles," from manus "hand" (from PIE root *man- (2) "hand"). Related: Manacles.
In every cry of every man,
In every infant's cry of fear,
In every voice, in every ban,
The mind-forged manacles I hear
[Blake, "Songs of Experience"]
manacle(v.)
"to fetter with manacles, confine the hands of with handcuffs," c. 1300, manaclen, from manacle (n.). Figuratively, "restrain the will or action of," by 1570s. Related: Manacled; manacling.
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