Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present tense fetters, present participle fettering, past tense, past participle fettered
1VERB 束缚;羁绊 If you say that you are fettered by something, you dislike it because it prevents you from behaving or moving in a free and natural way. 束缚;羁绊 [literary, disapproval]
...a private trust which would not be fettered by bureaucracy. [beVERB-ed]
2N-PLURAL (规则、传统、责任的)束缚,约束,桎梏 You can use fetters to refer to things such as rules, traditions, or responsibilities that you dislike because they prevent you from behaving in the way you want. (规则、传统、责任的)束缚,约束,桎梏 [literary, disapproval]
...the fetters of social convention.
社会习俗的约束
3N-COUNT [usually plural](尤指旧时的)脚镣 Especially in former times, fetters were chains for a prisoner's feet. (尤指旧时的)脚镣