ETYM French tramail, trémail, a net, Late Lat. tremaculum, tremacle, a kind of net for taking fish; Latin tres three + macula a mesh. Related to Three, and Mail armor.
1. A kind of net for catching birds, fishes, or other prey.
2. A net for confining a woman's hair.
3. A kind of shackle used for regulating the motions of a horse and making it amble.
4. (Figurative) Whatever impedes activity, progress, or freedom, such as a net or shackle.
5. An iron hook of various forms and sizes, used for handing kettles and other vessels over the fire.
6. An instrument for drawing ellipses, one part of which consists of a cross with two grooves at right angles to each other, the other being a beam carrying two pins (which slide in those grooves), and also the describing pencil.
Device used to hold pots and pans over a fireto hamper or restrainnet used to catch fish or birdstool used for drawing ellipses.
Net to catch fish, birds, etc.; shackle on horse's leg; check; obstacle; instrument for drawing ellipses.

ETYM U. S. and Canada.
A conical net dragged through the water at great depths; SYN. dragnet, trawl net.