knebeln

Etymology
17th century, derived from, from , from. The word originally meant a stick used to tighten a tie or to bind something to, later also the tie itself. 🇨🇬 shows the same semantic development, being used chiefly for “to gag”, but also in the broader sense “to tie up”.

Verb

 * 1)  to gag tie a piece of cloth around someone’s mouth to prevent them from shouting
 * 2)  to hog-tie tie up someone’s arms and legs to prevent them from moving
 * 3)  to hog-tie; to render helpless; to oppress; to enslave
 * 1)  to hog-tie; to render helpless; to oppress; to enslave

Usage notes

 * Most dictionaries give only the sense “to gag”, but the sense “to hog-tie” is attestable from Early Modern German to the present. Often both ideas also go hand in hand, especially in the combination . Note that as such is broader in meaning, as it can also mean “to handcuff” or “to tie to something immovable”, which  never does.