# gyve

Pronunciation: say "JYV" /d͡ʒaɪv/

## Noun

1. A shackle or fetter, especially one fastened around the leg. *(literary)*
   - Simple: A metal ring or chain locked around a prisoner's leg to stop escape.
   - _The jailer struck off the gyve and let the man rub his raw ankle._
   - _Heavy gyves bound the captive's legs as the ship rolled through the night._

## Verb

2. To bind a person with shackles or chains, especially around the legs.
   - Simple: To lock chains around someone's legs or arms so they cannot move freely.
   - _Soldiers gyve their captives at the wrist and ankle before transport._
   - _The warden ordered his men to gyve the rebel to the dungeon wall._

## Origin

From Middle English, found only in the plural gives or gyves meaning shackles or fetters. Its origin is uncertain, but it possibly comes from Celtic, compare Welsh gefyn (fetter) and Irish geimheal (chain), traced back to Proto-Celtic *gem- and Proto-Indo-European *gem- (to squeeze or press). The modern /dʒ/ pronunciation comes from the spelling, and the verb derives from the noun.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/gyve (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).