Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

chain

2 verb
     
chain2
1 [transitive] to fasten someone or something to something else using a chain, especially in order to prevent them from escaping or being stolen
chain somebody/something to something
a bicycle chained to the fence
Four activists chained themselves to the gates.
chain somebody/something up
The elephants were chained up by their legs.
chain somebody/something together
Their hands and feet were chained together.
2

be chained to something

to have your freedom restricted because of something you must do:
She felt chained to the kitchen sink.
I don't want a job where I'm chained to a desk all day.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.
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