n. 1. A shackle used to teach a horse to amble. 2. Something that restricts activity, expression, or progress; a restraint. 3. A vertically set fishing net of three layers, consisting of a finely meshed net between two nets of coarse mesh. 4. An instrument for drawing ellipses. 5. An instrument for gauging and adjusting parts of a machine; a tram. 6. An arrangement of links and a hook in a fireplace for raising and lowering a kettle. tr.v. tram·meled, tram·mel·ing, tram·mels or tram·melled or tram·mel·ling 1. To enmesh in a fishing net. 2. To hinder the activity or free movement of. [Middle English tramale, a kind of net, from Old French tramail, from Late Latin trēmaculum : Latin trēs, three; see trei- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + Latin macula, mesh.] trammel·er n. |
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