sə noun, plural chan·cer·ies.
1.
the office or department of a chancellor; chancellery.
2.
an office of public records, especially those of the Lord Chancellor in England.
3.
(in England) the Lord Chancellor's court, now a division of the High Court of justice.
4.
5.
the administrative office of a diocese.
7.
in chancery,
a.
Law. in litigation in a court of chancery.
b.
Wrestling, Boxing. (of a contestant's head) held under an opponent's arm.
c.
in a helpless or embarrassing position.
00:10
Chancery
is always a great word to know.
So is ninnyhammer. Does it mean:
| a fool or simpleton; ninny. |
| a gadget; dingus; thingumbob. |
Origin:
1325–75; Middle English chancerie, variant of chancelrie, syncopated variant of chancellerie chancellery
1325–75; Middle English chancerie, variant of chancelrie, syncopated variant of chancellerie chancellery
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To chancery
Collins
World English Dictionary
chancery (ˈtʃɑːnsərɪ) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n , pl -ceries | |
| 1. | Also called: Chancery Division (in England) the Lord Chancellor's court, now a division of the High Court of Justice |
| 2. | Also called: court of chancery (in the US) a court of equity |
| 3. | (Brit) the political section or offices of an embassy or legation |
| 4. | another name for chancellery |
| 5. | a court of public records; archives |
| 6. | Christianity a diocesan office under the supervision of a bishop's chancellor, having custody of archives, issuing official enactments, etc |
| 7. | in chancery |
| a. law (of a suit) pending in a court of equity | |
| b. wrestling, boxing (of a competitor's head) locked under an opponent's arm | |
| c. in an awkward or helpless situation | |
| [C14: shortened from | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
chancery
late 14c., "court of the Lord Chancellor of England," from O.Fr. chauncelerie, from M.L. cancellaria (see chancellor). In England, the highest court of judicature next to the House of Lords until the act of 1873.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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