fetter vs tether

fetter

verb
  • To shackle or bind up with fetters. 

  • To restrain or impede; to hamper. 

noun
  • A chain or similar object used to bind a person or animal – often by its legs (usually in plural). 

  • Anything that restricts or restrains. 

tether

verb
  • to restrict something with a tether. 

  • to connect something to something else. 

  • to connect a cellular smartphone to another personal computer in order to give it access to a hotspot. 

noun
  • a strong rope or line that connects a sailor's safety harness to the boat's jackstay 

  • a rope, cable etc. that holds something in place whilst allowing some movement 

  • the limit of one's abilities, resources etc. 

  • The cardinal number three in an old counting system used in Teesdale and Swaledale. (Variant of tethera) 

How often have the words fetter and tether occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )