Uncuffing

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The act of taking off restraints such as handcuffs allows a person or thing to be liberated from confinement and regain freedom of movement
2. The process of disengaging fastening devices from someone or something results in the release from captivity and restoration of autonomy
3. The removal of binding restraints leads to a liberation that enables an individual or object to regain the ability to move freely and independently

Etymology: Its root is the noun "cuff," which in the sense of a restraint around the wrist comes from the plural "cuffs," used for shackles since at least the 16th century. The earlier origin of "cuff" is uncertain. Etymologists have proposed links to Middle English and Old French words for a covering or cap, but no single source is settled. The verb "uncuff," meaning to take the cuffs off someone, is formed by adding the prefix "un-," which reverses an action, to the verb "cuff." The "-ing" ending turns it into the present participle used here. Because "uncuff" is a modern formation built from familiar English parts, it is unlikely to appear in dictionaries before the 19th or 20th century, and it is probably later still, since it is rarer than "unhandcuff" in print.

Synonyms: releasing, removing handcuffs