[tram.mel] n [ME tramayle, a kind of net, fr. MF tremail, fr. LL tremaculum, fr. L tres three + macula mesh, spot--more at three] (15c) 1: a net for catching birds or fish; esp: one having three layers with the middle one finer-meshed and slack so that fish passing through carry some of the center net through the coarser opposite net and are trapped
2: an adjustable pothook for a fireplace crane
3: a shackle used for making a horse amble
4: something impeding activity, progress, or freedom: restraint--usu. used in pl.
5. a: an instrument for drawing ellipses b: a compass for drawing large circles that consists of a beam with two sliding parts--usu. used in pl. c: any of various gauges used for aligning or adjusting machine parts
[2]trammel vt -meled or -melled ; -mel.ing or -mel.ling (1605) 1: to catch or hold in or as if in a net: enmesh
2: to prevent or impede the free play of: confine syn see hamper