trammel

1 of 2

verb

tram·​mel ˈtra-məl 

trammeled or trammelled; trammeling or trammelling ˈtra-mə-liŋ 

ˈtram-liŋ

transitive verb

1

: to catch or hold in or as if in a net : enmesh

2

: to prevent or impede the free play of : confine

trammel

2 of 2

noun

1

: something impeding activity, progress, or freedom : restraint

—usually used in plural

2

: 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

3

: an adjustable pothook for a fireplace crane

4

: a shackle used for making a horse amble

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

Did you know?

A trammel net traditionally has three layers, with the middle one finer-meshed and slack so that fish passing through the first net carry some of the center net through the coarser third net and are trapped. Appropriately, trammel traces back through the Middle English tramayle and the Old French tramail to the Late Latin tremaculum, which comes from Latin tres, meaning "three," and macula, meaning "mesh." Today, the plural trammels is synonymous with restraints, and trammel is also used as a verb meaning "to confine" or "to enmesh." You may also run across the adjective untrammeled, meaning "not confined or limited."

Synonyms

Verb

• bind
• tie
• confine
• hamper
• shackle

Noun

• obstacle
• obstruction
• hurdle
• interference
• barrier
• embarrassment
• let

Choose the Right Synonym for trammel

hamper, trammel, clog, fetter, shackle, manacle mean to hinder or impede in moving, progressing, or acting.

hamper may imply the effect of any impeding or restraining influence.

hampered the investigation by refusing to cooperate

trammel suggests entangling by or confining within a net.

rules that trammel the artist's creativity

clog usually implies a slowing by something extraneous or encumbering.

a court system clogged by frivolous suits

fetter suggests a restraining so severe that freedom to move or progress is almost lost.

a nation fettered by an antiquated class system

shackle and manacle are stronger than fetter and suggest total loss of freedom.

a mind shackled by stubborn prejudice

a people manacled by tyranny

Examples of trammel in a Sentence

Verb

laws that trammel our rights as citizens

years after his death, she was still trammeled by inconsolable grief for her deceased husband

Noun

students and parents who want to throw off the trammels of outdated school policies

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Children arrive into a trammeling grid of haves and have-nots set up long before their birth, a net that individual struggles serve only to tighten. —Benjamin Kunkel, Harpers Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025

Diggs was trammeled by knee issues throughout 2023 as the 26-year-old was sidelined for 15 games after tearing his left ACL. —Stephan Pechdimaldji, Newsweek, 14 Dec. 2024

The Founders gave an independent judiciary the responsibility of preventing the other branches from trammeling fundamental liberties of citizens. —oregonlive, 23 Jan. 2020

The Patriots defense, which is on pace to break NFL records for most sacks and fewest points allowed, has trammeled and trampled opposing offenses, but the schedule keeps serving up red meat or raw quarterbacks for them to prey upon. —BostonGlobe.com, 9 Oct. 2019

Now the area is brimming with new construction, and Ms. Medvedow, 63, is leading her institution into another less-trammeled area. —New York Times, 22 June 2018

Those federal laws, along with state and local equivalents, provide broad and effective remedies for unequal pay without trammeling the hiring process. —Gerald Skoning, WSJ, 12 Dec. 2017

When applied to armed protests, that mindset takes our country to a dangerous place: The Second Amendment and state open carry laws cannot trammel the free speech rights of unarmed protesters and the necessity for law enforcement to keep the peace. —Olivia Li, Slate Magazine, 17 Oct. 2017

Noun

The moment comes right before America Ferrera’s big monologue about the trammels of womanhood, when Robbie soliloquizes, too, about the loss of her self-esteem. —Wesley Morris, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2024

Step 2: Measure and Cut Cubby Dividers Use trammel points to mark a rounded edge (an arc with a 7-1/2-inch radius) on three 6-1/2 x 19-inch boards. —Lucy Fitzgerald, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Feb. 2024

Use trammel points to mark a rounded edge (an arc with a 7-1/2-inch radius) on three 6-1/2 x 19-inch boards. —Lucy Fitzgerald, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 July 2022

Join the top and drop leaf; then use a large trammel to mark the curved edge. —Thomas Klenck, Popular Mechanics, 14 Aug. 2021

Make a trammel, or beam compass, that pivots on a 3⁄8-in. —Neal Barrett, Popular Mechanics, 7 Aug. 2021

Build the trammel out of 1⁄2-in.-thick plywood, mount the router on one end and install a straight bit. —Neal Barrett, Popular Mechanics, 7 Aug. 2021

Word History

Etymology

Noun

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

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1606, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for trammel

• camel
• hamel
• hamil
• mammal
• enamel
• glutamyl

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Kids Definition

trammel

1 of 2 noun

tram·​mel ˈtram-əl 

: something preventing free movement or activity

—usually used in plural

trammel

2 of 2 verb

trammeled or trammelled; trammeling or trammelling

-(ə-)liŋ

: to prevent or restrict the free movement of