handcuffs

Etymology 1

1775, from hand + cuff (“end of shirtsleeve”). Possibly influenced by Old English handcops, from hand + cops (“fetter, chains”), but due to lack of continuity (centuries between Old English and modern term), generally analyzed as a re-invention.

noun

1. A fastening consisting of two metal rings, designed to go around a person's wrists, and connected by a chain or hinge.
   Security is tight inside and outside the building, guarded by a bewildering collection of soldiers, policemen and gendarmes. Relatives watch as prisoners in handcuffs and leg irons shuffle past. 27 November 2014, Ian Black, “Courts kept busy as Jordan works to crush support for Isis”, in The Guardian

Etymology 2

noun

1. plural of handcuff

Etymology 3

verb

1. third-person singular simple present indicative of handcuff