Bound or secured with chains, or connected in a series. Can refer to physical restraint or metaphorical linking of events, ideas, or processes.
From Old French 'chaine', from Latin 'catena' meaning 'chain' or 'fetter'. The verb 'to chain' developed in the 14th century, with the past participle 'chained' following standard English patterns for expressing completed action or resulting state.
The metaphor of being 'chained' reveals how physical restraint became a powerful symbol for any limitation of freedom - from chained prisoners to chained reactions in chemistry. Interestingly, blockchain technology reclaimed this symbol of bondage as a metaphor for security and trust.
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