IPA

Dictionary definition of trammel

To restrict, confine, or impede the movement, progress, or development of something or someone.
"The restrictive laws may trammel the growth of the economy."

Detailed meaning of trammel

When you trammel a person or process, you are essentially placing obstacles, hindrances, or limitations in their path, preventing them from moving freely or achieving their goals efficiently. This term can be used in various contexts, such as trammeling a business's growth with excessive regulations, trammeling an individual's creativity with rigid constraints, or trammeling a project's progress with unforeseen challenges. "Trammel" emphasizes the idea of hindrance or restraint, often suggesting a frustrating or cumbersome experience in navigating through obstacles or restrictions.

Example sentences of trammel

1. Let not fear trammel your journey towards success.
2. How can we trammel the spread of this harmful misinformation?
3. Governments must be careful not to trammel individual freedoms in the name of security.
4. They designed a plan to trammel the enemy's progress.
5. His fear of failure can trammel his path to success.
6. We need to trammel the river's flow to prevent flooding.

History and etymology of trammel

The verb 'trammel' has its etymological origins in Middle English and Old French. It can be traced back to the Middle English word 'tramail' or 'tramel,' which referred to a kind of fishing net or trap, often made of three layers of mesh. This Middle English term was borrowed from the Old French word 'trai mail,' where 'trai' meant 'three' and 'mail' referred to a type of net. The transition from the literal meaning of a net to the figurative sense of restricting or impeding movement or progress likely occurred due to the idea of being ensnared or caught in a trap. Over time, 'trammel' came to be associated with the act of restricting, confining, or impeding the movement, progress, or development of something or someone, reflecting its modern usage. The etymology of 'trammel' underscores the historical connection between the physical notion of entrapment and the metaphorical concept of hindrance or restraint.

Find the meaning of trammel

answer1

answer2

answer3

answer4

Try Again!

Correct!

Continue Quiz

Further usage examples of trammel

1. We need to find ways to trammel our environmental impact.
2. Schools should encourage creativity, not trammel it.
3. Apathy can trammel the growth of a nation.
4. Don't let your past mistakes trammel your future.
5. We must trammel the tide of pollution threatening our oceans.
6. The barriers trammel the flow of traffic during peak hours.
7. The strict diet did nothing but trammel his enjoyment of food.
8. To maintain a healthy environment, it is necessary to trammel industrial waste.
9. New regulations are set to trammel the rampant speculative investments.
10. It is important to trammel the spread of false information online.
11. Restrictions on free speech could trammel the progress of society.
12. Overprotective parents may unknowingly trammel their child's personal growth.
13. Overuse of antibiotics can trammel the development of our body's natural defenses.
14. Excessive regulations can trammel small businesses' growth.
15. Don't let fear of failure trammel your aspirations.
16. Bureaucratic red tape can trammel innovation.
17. Negative thoughts can trammel your personal growth.
18. His lack of confidence trammels his career advancement.
19. Economic disparities often trammel social mobility.
20. We must remove barriers that trammel access to education.
21. Cultural prejudices can trammel societal progress.
22. Inflexible rules can trammel creative expression.
23. Let's break free from the constraints that trammel us.
24. Don't allow past mistakes to trammel your future success.