zip cuffnoun
Factsheet
What does the noun zip cuff mean?
There is one meaning in OED's entry for the noun zip cuff. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definition, usage, and quotation evidence.
This word is used in U.S. English.
How is the noun zip cuff pronounced?
British English
U.S. English
Where does the noun zip cuff come from?
Earliest known use
1990s
The earliest known use of the noun zip cuff is in the 1990s.
OED's earliest evidence for zip cuff is from 1995, in Harper's Magazine.
Nearby entries
- zip, n.⁴1968–
- zip, v.¹1852–
- zip, v.²1964–
- zip, int. & n.¹1678–
- zip-a-dee-doo-dah, int. & adj.1945–
- zip code, n.1962–
- zip-code, v.1962–
- zip-coded, adj.1963–
- zip-coding, n.1964–
- zip coon, n.1833–
- zip cuff, n.1995–
- zip cuff, v.1996–
- Zipf, n.1936–
- zip fastener, n.1925–
- zip fastening, n. & adj.1925–
- zip gun, n.1914–
- Ziph, n.1834–
- ziphian, n. & adj.1896
- ziphiiform, adj.1891
- ziphioid, adj. & n.1861–
- zipless, adj.1922–
Etymology
Meaning & use
- 1995–Usually in plural. A fastener used as handcuffs, consisting of a thin, flexible nylon strap with a notched surface that is shaped to form two loops secured by a central ratchet.
- 1995
The police stoop down to arrest them... You can hear the zipping sound of plastic hand restraints—zipcuffs—being pulled tight.
Harper's Magazine January 42/2 - 2004
They grabbed my arms and jerked my hands behind my back. I felt nylon zip cuffs ratchet around my wrists.
T. Borg, Tahoe Killshot li. 267 - 2011
The riot police moved in with zip cuffs and teargassed the occupiers.
@joshharkinson 15 November in twitter.com (accessed 27 Apr. 2018)
society authority subjection restraint or restraining restraint depriving of liberty binding or fettering [nouns] bond(s) or fetter(s) or shackle(s) for the hands or arms- copsOld English–1200A shackle for any part of the body; a fetter (Old English fót-cops), manacle (hand-cops), or collar (sweor-cops), to secure a prisoner. Obsolete.
- manaclec1350–Usually in plural. A fetter for the hand; (more generally) a shackle.
- handlock1532–A lockable metal ring used to secure the wrist of a prisoner to someone or something; a manacle, a handcuff; (in plural) a linked pair of these…
- hand-bolt1563–A handcuff. Frequently in plural. Also figurative.
- handbinder1585–a. A device for binding a person's hands, a fetter or handcuff; b. a device to assist in binding grain by hand; c. a person who binds books by hand.
- handcuff1649–A lockable restraint consisting of a ring, typically made of metal and one of a pair joined by a short chain or bar, which can secure both a…
- cuff1663–A fetter for the wrist, a handcuff, n.
- Darbies1673–plural. Handcuffs: sometimes also, fetters. slang.
- glim-fenders1699–Andirons; also punningly, handcuffs.
- shackle-bolt1706–dialect. A handcuff.
- a. = government paper, n.; †b. slang handcuffs; fetters (obsolete).
- pinion1736–A manacle, a fetter. rare.
- ruffles1776–In plural. slang. Handcuffs. Now rare.
- bracelet1817–A fetter for the wrist, a gyve, hand-cuff.
- nippers1821–In plural. slang. Handcuffs (see also quot. 1982).
- handicuff1825–= handcuff, n.
- shangy1839–A shackle; plural handcuffs.
- snitchers1860–plural. Strings used by the police in place of handcuffs. Scottish.
- come-along1874–North American colloquial. In plural. A type of manacle or handcuff. Now historical.
- shackle-irons1876–Hand-cuffs.
- mitten1880–slang. Now rare. (a) (In plural) handcuffs; (b) a hand or fist (usually in plural); (c) a boxing glove (usually in plural).
- wristlet1881–A handcuff, a wrist-iron.
- snaps1891–plural. Hand-cuffs. slang.
- snips1891–plural. Handcuffs. slang.
- stringers1893–plural. Handcuffs. slang.
- twister1910–One who or that which turns about, turns from side to side, rotates, etc. A type of handcuff (see quot. 1939).
- zip tie1983–A fastener consisting of a thin, flexible nylon strap with a notched surface, which is secured by feeding one end through a locking mechanism at the…
- zip cuff1995–Usually in plural. A fastener used as handcuffs, consisting of a thin, flexible nylon strap with a notched surface that is shaped to form two…
Pronunciation
British English
U.S. English
Consonants
- ppea
- ttea
- kkey
- bbuy
- ddye
- ɡguy
- tʃchore
- dʒjay
- ffore
- θthaw
- ssore
- ʃshore
- vvee
- ðthee
- zzee
- ʒbeige
- xloch
- hhay
- llay
- ɬrhingyll
- rray
- wway
- jyore
- mmay
- nnay
- ŋsing
Some consonants can take the function of the vowel in unstressed syllables. Where necessary, a syllabic marker diacritic is used, hence
Vowels
- iːfleece
- ihappy
- ɪkit
- ɛdress
- atrap, bath
- ɑːstart, palm, bath
- ɒlot
- ɔːthought, force
- ʌstrut
- ʊfoot
- uːgoose
- əletter
- əːnurse
- ɪənear
- ɛːsquare
- ʊəcure
- eɪface
- ʌɪpride
- aʊmouth
- əʊgoat
- ɔɪvoice
- ãgratin
- ɒ̃salon
- ᵻ(/ɪ/-/ə/)
- ᵿ(/ʊ/-/ə/)
Other symbols
- The symbol ˈ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with primary stress.
- The symbol ˌ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with secondary stress.
- Round brackets ( ) in a transcription indicate that the symbol within the brackets is optional.
View the pronunciation model here.
Consonants
- ppea
- ttea
- kkey
- bbuy
- ddye*
- ɡguy
- tʃchore
- dʒjay
- ffore
- θthaw
- ssore
- ʃshore
- vvee
- ðthee
- zzee
- ʒbeige
- xloch
- hhay
- llay
- rray
- wway
- jyore
- mmay
- nnay
- ŋsing
* /d/ also represents a 'tapped' /t/ as in
Some consonants can take the function of the vowel in unstressed syllables. Where necessary, a syllabic marker diacritic is used, hence
Vowels
- ifleece, happy
- ɪkit
- ɛdress
- ætrap, bath
- ɑlot, palm, cloth, thought
- ɑrstart
- ɔcloth, thought
- ɔrnorth, force
- ʊfoot
- ugoose
- əstrut, comma
- ərnurse, letter
- ɪ(ə)rnear
- ɛ(ə)rsquare
- ʊ(ə)rcure
- eɪface
- aɪpride
- aʊmouth
- oʊgoat
- ɔɪvoice
- ɑ̃gratin
- æ̃salon
- ᵻ(/ɪ/-/ə/)
- ᵿ(/ʊ/-/ə/)
Other symbols
- The symbol ˈ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with primary stress.
- The symbol ˌ at the beginning of a syllable indicates that that syllable is pronounced with secondary stress.
- Round brackets ( ) in a transcription indicate that the symbol within the brackets is optional.
View the pronunciation model here.
Simple text respell breaks words into syllables, separated by a hyphen. The syllable which carries the primary stress is written in capital letters. This key covers both British and U.S. English Simple Text Respell.
Consonants
b, d, f, h, k, l, m, n, p, r, s, t, v, w and z have their standard English values
- gguy
- jjay
- yyore
- chchore
- khloch
- shshore
- ththaw
- dhthee
- zhbeige
Vowels
- atrap
- ahpalm
- airsquare
- arstart
- arrcarry (British only)
- awthought
- ayface
- a(ng)gratin
- edress
- eefleece
- eerdeer
- errmerry
- ikit
- ighpride
- irrmirror
- olot (British only)
- ohgoat
- oogoose
- oorcure
- orforce
- orrsorry (British only)
- owmouth
- oyvoice
- o(ng)salon
- ustrut
- uhletter
- urnurse
- urrhurry
- uufoot
Compounds & derived words
- zip cuff, v. 1996–transitive. To put zip cuffs on (a person); to…