trammel

I. noun Etymology: Middle English tramayle, a kind of net, from Old French tramail, from Late Latin tremaculum, from Latin tres three + macula mesh, spot — more at three Date: 14th century 1. a net for catching birds or fish; especially one having three layers with the middle one finer-meshed and slack so that fish passing through carry some of the center net through the coarser opposite net and are trapped 2. an adjustable pothook for a fireplace crane 3. a shackle used for making a horse amble 4. something impeding activity, progress, or freedom ; restraint — usually used in plural 5. a. an instrument for drawing ellipses b. a compass for drawing large circles that consists of a beam with two sliding parts — usually used in plural c. any of various gauges used for aligning or adjusting machine parts II. transitive verb (-meled or -melled; -meling or trammelling) Date: circa 1606 1. to catch or hold in or as if in a net ; enmesh 2. to prevent or impede the free play of ; confine Synonyms: see hamper