enslave
UK: ɪnˈsleɪv | US: ɪnˈsleɪv
vt. to force someone into slavery or a condition of complete control
vt. to dominate or subjugate someone psychologically or emotionally
The word "enslave" combines the prefix "en-" (from Old French, meaning "cause to be" or "put into a state") with the noun "slave" (derived from Medieval Latin "sclavus," referring to Slavic peoples often captured and sold into servitude). The term evolved to describe the act of forcing someone into bondage, reflecting both physical and metaphorical domination. The prefix "en-" transforms the noun into a verb, emphasizing the action of imposing servitude.
The colonizers sought to enslave the indigenous population for labor.
Addiction can enslave a person, stripping them of freedom.
Tyrants often use propaganda to enslave the minds of their citizens.
She refused to let fear enslave her ambitions.
Historical systems like feudalism sometimes indirectly enslaved peasants through debt.