Standard Lemma guide

gyve

noun · verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /d͡ʒaɪv/
  • /ɡaɪv/
  • rhymes with -aɪv
  • homophone: jive

1

noun

Meaning 1

A shackle or fetter, especially for the leg.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: literary

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To shackle, fetter, chain.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle English *give, *gyve (found only in plural gives, gyves (“shackles; fetters”)). Of uncertain origin, possibly from low dialect taking from Celtic; compare Welsh gefyn (“fetter, shackle”), Irish geibbionn (“fetters”), geimheal (“fetter, chain, shackle”); these are from Proto-Celtic *gem- (“shackle, chain”), from Proto-Indo-European *gem- (“to squeeze, grab, press”), see also Proto-Slavic *žęti, Ancient Greek γέντο (génto). The modern pronunciation with /dʒ/ is due to the spelling. The verb is from Middle English given, gyven (“to shackle”), from the noun.

Across languages

Translations

5 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: оковавам (okovavam) — shackle
  • Bulgarian: сковавам (skovavam) — shackle
  • Russian: кандалы́ (kandalý) — shackle
  • Russian: око́вы (okóvy) — shackle
  • Russian: у́зы (úzy) — shackle