in chains
41
6.3
- idiom
- Guarionex was held in chains at Concepcion until 1502, when he was sent to Spain.
- hung in chains
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Watch on YouTubeSee, back in the day when they had us in chains, they would beat one real good, right?
- See, back in the day when they had us in chains, they would beat one real good, right?
- I was driven in chains and an E list suit to Pentonville and I did nine months in the Ville which was horrific, awful jail.
- On the contrary, whether on the throne or in chains, there's a beautiful formula here.
- Man is Born Free and everywhere he's in chains.
- It is a still a power relation even if you are in chains.
- His all of these stories you know, about put you in chains, Corn Pops, sagas, you ain't black.
Examples
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To me, it was a slave ship... taking me back to America in chains.
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But he keeps me in chains now whenever I am down here.
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Then why is he in chains?
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If a man, bring him to me in chains.
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And they're leading you in chains into the services.
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Better than to live in chains below these decks.
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Morse and Aaron are being led out of the facility in chains.
Fiction book (1992) -
Visits from loved ones were curtailed or denied; prisoners were kept in chains.
Academic text (1992) -
Twice a day, they were exercised on deck in chains and in small squads.
Academic text (2009) -
The prisoners were led away in chains as they entered the courtroom.
Synonyms
361
4.4
Unable to escape from a dangerous place or situation, for example when surrounded by attackers
136
1.0
Fastened with string or rope
94
4.2
Tied or fastened to stop movement
76
4.1
Held tight by metal so it cannot move or escape
70
4.2
Kept as a prisoner and not free
27
5.1
Held by a rope or chain so it cannot move far
23
3.8
Kept in prison and not free
18
7.0
Held by chains around the ankles so the person cannot move freely
9
3.5
A person who is kept in prison by the law
4
8.1
Tied tightly with rope or string so arms and legs cannot move
2
8.1
Held by chains or ties so someone cannot move and cannot act freely
1
9.7
A person or animal held tightly with the arms tied behind the back
1
9.1
Held with chains or by rules that stop you from acting
Antonyms
How Free
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'being physically restrained by chains' is directly and transparently composed from 'in' (locative preposition) + 'chains' (binding metal rings); a B1 learner who knows those words will infer the intended physical confinement. This is a literal, cross-linguistically common locative + noun composition and therefore predictable without prior exposure.
Etymology
In chains paints a simple picture: a person with heavy chains on their hands or feet who cannot move freely. That's why in chains means 'being physically restrained'.