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Chain   /tʃeɪn/   Listen
noun
Chain  n.  
1.
A series of links or rings, usually of metal, connected, or fitted into one another, used for various purposes, as of support, of restraint, of ornament, of the exertion and transmission of mechanical power, etc. "(They) put a chain of gold about his neck."
2.
That which confines, fetters, or secures, as a chain; a bond; as, the chains of habit. "Driven down To chains of darkness and the undying worm."
3.
A series of things linked together; or a series of things connected and following each other in succession; as, a chain of mountains; a chain of events or ideas.
4.
(Surv.) An instrument which consists of links and is used in measuring land. Note: One commonly in use is Gunter's chain, which consists of one hundred links, each link being seven inches and ninety-two one hundredths in length; making up the total length of rods, or sixty-six, feet; hence, a measure of that length; hence, also, a unit for land measure equal to four rods square, or one tenth of an acre.
5.
pl. (Naut.) Iron links bolted to the side of a vessel to bold the dead-eyes connected with the shrouds; also, the channels.
6.
(Weaving) The warp threads of a web.
Chain belt (Mach.), a belt made of a chain; used for transmitting power.
Chain boat, a boat fitted up for recovering lost cables, anchors, etc.
Chain bolt
(a)
(Naut.) The bolt at the lower end of the chain plate, which fastens it to the vessel's side.
(b)
A bolt with a chain attached for drawing it out of position.
Chain bond. See Chain timber.
Chain bridge, a bridge supported by chain cables; a suspension bridge.
Chain cable, a cable made of iron links.
Chain coral (Zool.), a fossil coral of the genus Halysites, common in the middle and upper Silurian rocks. The tubular corallites are united side by side in groups, looking in an end view like links of a chain. When perfect, the calicles show twelve septa.
Chain coupling.
(a)
A shackle for uniting lengths of chain, or connecting a chain with an object.
(b)
(Railroad) Supplementary coupling together of cars with a chain.
Chain gang, a gang of convicts chained together.
Chain hook (Naut.), a hook, used for dragging cables about the deck.
Chain mail, flexible, defensive armor of hammered metal links wrought into the form of a garment.
Chain molding (Arch.), a form of molding in imitation of a chain, used in the Normal style.
Chain pier, a pier suspended by chain.
Chain pipe (Naut.), an opening in the deck, lined with iron, through which the cable is passed into the lockers or tiers.
Chain plate (Shipbuilding), one of the iron plates or bands, on a vessel's side, to which the standing rigging is fastened.
Chain pulley, a pulley with depressions in the periphery of its wheel, or projections from it, made to fit the links of a chain.
Chain pumps. See in the Vocabulary.
Chain rule (Arith.), a theorem for solving numerical problems by composition of ratios, or compound proportion, by which, when several ratios of equality are given, the consequent of each being the same as the antecedent of the next, the relation between the first antecedent and the last consequent is discovered.
Chain shot (Mil.), two cannon balls united by a shot chain, formerly used in naval warfare on account of their destructive effect on a ship's rigging.
Chain stitch. See in the Vocabulary.
Chain timber. (Arch.) See Bond timber, under Bond.
Chain wales. (Naut.) Same as Channels.
Chain wheel. See in the Vocabulary.
Closed chain, Open chain (Chem.), terms applied to the chemical structure of compounds whose rational formulae are written respectively in the form of a closed ring (see Benzene nucleus, under Benzene), or in an open extended form.
Endless chain, a chain whose ends have been united by a link.


verb
Chain  v. t.  (past & past part. chained; pres. part. chaining)  
1.
To fasten, bind, or connect with a chain; to fasten or bind securely, as with a chain; as, to chain a bulldog. "Chained behind the hostile car."
2.
To keep in slavery; to enslave. "And which more blest? who chained his country, say Or he whose virtue sighed to lose a day?"
3.
To unite closely and strongly. "And in this vow do chain my soul to thine."
4.
(Surveying) To measure with the chain.
5.
To protect by drawing a chain across, as a harbor.





Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48


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"Chain" Quotes from Famous Books



... affair, in which the latter was compelled to retreat. The attack of Lincoln was followed by one of Moultrie, in galleys. The situation of the British became unpleasant, and they did not wait a repetition of these assaults, but retreated along the chain of islands on the coast, until they reached Beaufort and Savannah. Both of these places they maintained; the latter with their main army, the former with a strong body of troops, apart from their sick, wounded and convalescent. Here they were watched by General Lincoln, ...
— The Life of Francis Marion • William Gilmore Simms
... as mementos. Moreover, "the mother, after painting the skull with koi-ob—[a mixture of yellow ochre, oil, etc.] and decorating it with small shells attached to pieces of string, hangs it round her neck with a netted chain, called rab—. After the first few days her husband often relieves her by wearing ...
— The Child and Childhood in Folk-Thought • Alexander F. Chamberlain
... hemmed in on the east by a chain of enemies. It looked as though Bismarck might declare war upon the republic at any time, and be perfectly safe from interference, with Austria and Italy to protect him. Russia, smarting under the treatment which she had been given by the Congress of Berlin, was ...
— The World War and What was Behind It - The Story of the Map of Europe • Louis P. Benezet
... his taste, though somewhat grotesque, is by no means lavish. A sort of stud or button, composed of a solitary ruby, in the upper rim of the cartilage of either ear,—a chain of gold, curiously wrought, and intertwined with a string of small pearls, around his neck,—a massive bangle of plain gold on his arm,—a richly jewelled ring on his thumb, and others, broad and shield-like, on his toes,—complete his outfit in ...
— The Atlantic Monthly, Vol. II, No. 8, June 1858 • Various
... newspaper editorials universally agreed that whatever nation owned and controlled this new instrument of war could dictate its own terms. It was generally supposed that the blasting of the mountain chain of Northern Africa had been an experiment to test and demonstrate the powers of this new demoniacal invention, and in view of its success it did not seem surprising that the nations had hastened to agree to an armistice, for the Power that ...
— The Man Who Rocked the Earth • Arthur Train


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