Cuffs: meaning, definitions and examples

Restraints used by law enforcement to immobilize someone's hands, usually referred to as 'handcuffs'. It has a negative connotation.

• The police officer put the suspect in cuffs.
• He was led away in cuffs.

Bracelets are soft or rigid pieces of jewelry worn around the wrist. They can be casual or formal and may have charms or beads.

• He gifted her a gold bracelet for their anniversary.
• She loves wearing bracelets to accessorize her outfits.

Bangles are rigid bracelets, usually made of metal or wood, worn as adornment around the wrist, commonly in South Asian cultures.

• She wore a stack of colorful bangles on her wrist.
• The bangles clinked together as she moved.

Wristbands are flexible bands worn around the wrist for various purposes, including fashion, identification, or medical reasons.

• She wore a pink wristband to support breast cancer awareness.
• Festival-goers had to wear wristbands for entry.

Typically used in a law enforcement or security context to describe handcuffs, a device used to secure someone's wrists together.

• The police officer placed the cuffs on the suspect's wrists
• He struggled to remove the cuffs, but they were too tight

A general term used to describe various devices or methods used to limit someone's movement, including ropes, handcuffs, or even physical force. Can be used in medical, law enforcement, or general contexts.

• The patient was placed in restraints to prevent self-harm
• Security used restraints to subdue the unruly passenger

A somewhat old-fashioned term that refers to handcuffs or shackles, often used in literature or formal writing.

• The guards fastened the manacles tightly around his wrists
• The hero was captured and placed in manacles

Often used in historical or dramatic contexts, referring to heavy shackles or chains, usually made of metal, used to restrain prisoners.

• The prisoners were bound in irons and led to the dungeon
• In olden days, slaves were often kept in irons