a series of objects connected one after the other, usually in the form of a series of metal rings passing through one another, used either for various purposes requiring a flexible tie with high tensile strength, as for hauling, supporting, or confining, or in various ornamental and decorative forms.
2.
Often, chains.something that binds or restrains; bond: the chain of timidity; the chains of loyalty.
3.
chains,
a.
shackles or fetters: to place a prisoner in chains.
b.
bondage; servitude: to live one's life in chains.
c.
Nautical. (in a sailing vessel) the area outboard at the foot of the shrouds of a mast: the customary position of the leadsman in taking soundings.
a series of things connected or following in succession: a chain of events.
5.
a range of mountains.
6.
a number of similar establishments, as banks, theaters, or hotels, under one ownership or management.
7.
Chemistry. two or more atoms of the same element, usually carbon, attached as in a chain. Compare ring1(def. 17).
8.
Surveying,Civil Engineering.
a.
a distance-measuring device consisting of a chain of 100 links of equal length, having a total length either of 66 ft. (20 m) (Gunter's chain or surveyor's chain) or of 100 ft. (30 m) (engineer's chain).
b.
a unit of length equal to either of these.
c.
a graduated steel tape used for distance measurements. Abbreviation:ch
A connected, flexible series of links, typically of metal, used especially for holding objects together or restraining or for transmitting mechanical power.
Such a set of links, often of precious metal and with pendants attached, worn as an ornament or symbol of office.
Bonds, fetters, or shackles.
Captivity or oppression; bondage: threw off the chains of slavery.
An instrument used in surveying, consisting of 100 linked pieces of iron or steel and measuring 66 feet (20.1 meters). Also called Gunter's chain.
A similar instrument used in engineering, measuring 100 feet (30.5 meters).
Abbr. ch A unit of measurement equal to the length of either of these instruments.
A restraining or confining agent or force.
chains
Bonds, fetters, or shackles.
Captivity or oppression; bondage: threw off the chains of slavery.
An instrument used in surveying, consisting of 100 linked pieces of iron or steel and measuring 66 feet (20.1 meters). Also called Gunter's chain.
A similar instrument used in engineering, measuring 100 feet (30.5 meters).
Abbr. ch A unit of measurement equal to the length of either of these instruments.
A series of closely linked or connected things: a chain of coincidences. See Synonyms at series.
A number of establishments, such as stores, theaters, or hotels, under common ownership or management.
A range of mountains.
Chemistry A group of atoms bonded in a spatial configuration like links in a chain.
An instrument used in surveying, consisting of 100 linked pieces of iron or steel and measuring 66 feet (20.1 meters). Also called Gunter's chain.
A similar instrument used in engineering, measuring 100 feet (30.5 meters).
Abbr. ch A unit of measurement equal to the length of either of these instruments.
tr.v.
chained, chain·ing, chains
To bind or make fast with a chain or chains: chained the dog to a tree.
To restrain or confine as if with chains: workers who were chained to a life of dull routine.
[Middle English chaine, from Old French, from Latin catēna.]
ChainAudio Help (chān) Pronunciation Key
German-born British biochemist. He isolated and purified penicillin; for this achievement he shared a 1945 Nobel Prize with Sir Alexander Fleming, who discovered penicillin in 1928.
c.1300, from O.Fr. chaeine, from L. catena "chain," from PIE base *kat- "to twist, twine." The verb is attested from 1377. chain of stores is Amer.Eng., 1846. Chain letter first recorded 1906.
"In 1896, Miss Audrey Griffin, of Hurstville, New South Wales initiated a 'chain letter' with the object of obtaining 1,000,000 used postage stamps." ["Daily Chronicle," July 27, 1906]
a series of (especially metal) links or rings passing through one another Example: The dog was fastened by a chain; She wore a silver chain round her neck.
Arabic:
سِلْسِلَه
Chinese (Simplified):
链条
Chinese (Traditional):
鏈條
Czech:
řetěz, řetízek
Danish:
kæde; lænke
Dutch:
ketting
Estonian:
kett
Finnish:
ketju
French:
chaîne
German:
die Kette
Greek:
αλυσίδα
Hungarian:
lánc
Icelandic:
keðja
Indonesian:
rantai
Italian:
catena
Japanese:
鎖
Korean:
쇠사슬
Latvian:
ķēde; ķēdīte
Lithuanian:
grandinė(lė)
Norwegian:
kjede, lenke
Polish:
łańcuch
Portuguese (Brazil):
corrente
Portuguese (Portugal):
corrente
Romanian:
lanţ
Russian:
цепь; цепочка
Slovak:
reťaz, retiazka
Slovenian:
veriga; verižica
Spanish:
cadena
Swedish:
kedja, kätting
Turkish:
zincir
chain2[tʃein]noun
a series Example: a chain of events
Arabic:
تَسَلْسُلِ الأحْداث
Chinese (Simplified):
一系列
Chinese (Traditional):
一系列
Czech:
řetěz
Danish:
række; kæde
Dutch:
reeks
Estonian:
ahel
Finnish:
kettinki
French:
série
German:
die Kette
Greek:
αλληλουχία
Hungarian:
láncolat
Icelandic:
röð
Indonesian:
rangkaian
Japanese:
連鎖
Korean:
연속
Latvian:
sērija; virkne
Lithuanian:
virtinė
Norwegian:
rekke, rad
Polish:
łańcuch
Portuguese (Brazil):
cadeia
Portuguese (Portugal):
cadeia
Romanian:
serie
Russian:
цепь
Slovak:
reťaz
Slovenian:
zaporedje, vrsta
Spanish:
cadena, serie
Swedish:
kedja, följd
Turkish:
dizi
chain[tʃein]verb
to fasten or bind with chains Example: The prisoner was chained to the wall.
chainAudio Help (chān) Pronunciation Key
A group of atoms, often of the same element, bound together in a line, branched line, or ring to form a molecule. ◇ In a straight chain, each of the constituent atoms is attached to other single atoms, not to groups of atoms. ◇ In a branched chain, side groups are attached to the chain. ◇ In a closed chain, the atoms are arranged in the shape of a ring.
Chain, Sir Ernst Boris 1906-1979.
German-born British bacteriologist who, with Howard Florey, developed and purified penicillin in 1939. For this work, they shared a 1945 Nobel Prize with Alexander Fleming, who first discovered the antibiotic in 1928.
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This Main Entry: chain Pronunciation: 'chAn Function: noun often attributive1: a series of things (as bacteria) linked, connected, or associatedtogether 2: a number of atoms or chemical groups united like links in a chain
chain 1. (From BASIC's "CHAIN" statement) To pass control to a child or successor without going through the operating systemcommand interpreter that invoked you. The state of the parent program is lost and there is no returning to it. Though this facility used to be common on memory-limited microcomputers and is still widely supported for backward compatibility, the jargon usage is semi-obsolescent; in particular, Unix calls this exec. Compare with the more modern "subshell". 2. A series of linked data areas within an operating system or application program. "Chain rattling" is the process of repeatedly running through the linked data areas searching for one which is of interest. The implication is that there are many links in the chain. 3. A possibly infinite, non-decreasing sequence of elements of some total ordering, S x0 <= x1 <= x2 ... A chain satisfies: for all x,y in S, x <= y \/ y <= x. I.e. any two elements of a chain are related. ("<=" is written in LaTeX as sqsubseteq). [The Jargon File] (1995-02-03)
1. vi. [orig. from BASIC's `CHAIN' statement] To hand off execution to a child or successor without going through the OS command interpreter that invoked it. The state of the parent program is lost and there is no returning to it. Though this facility used to be common on memory-limited micros and is still widely supported for backward compatibility, the jargon usage is semi-obsolescent; in particular, most Unix programmers will think of this as an exec. Oppose the more modern `subshell'. 2. n. A series of linked data areas within an operating system or application. `Chain rattling' is the process of repeatedly running through the linked data areas searching for one which is of interest to the executing program. The implication is that there is a very large number of links on the chain.
Chain-O-Lakes, MO (village, FIPS 13000) Location: 36.53331 N, 93.72478 W Population (1990): 111 (66 housing units) Area: 0.2 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Chain O' Lakes-King, WI (CDP, FIPS 13885) Location: 44.33080 N, 89.16780 W Population (1990): 1667 (1071 housing units) Area: 10.9 sq km (land), 3.2 sq km (water)
Grand Chain, IL Zip code(s): 62941
New Grand Chain, IL (village, FIPS 52467) Location: 37.25317 N, 89.01714 W Population (1990): 273 (116 housing units) Area: 2.7 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Cat"e*nate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Catenated; p. pr. & vb. n. Catenating.] [L. catenatus, p. p. of catenare, fr. catena chain. See Chain.] To connect, in a series of links or ties; to chain. --E. Darwin.
(1.) A part of the insignia of office. A chain of gold was placed about Joseph's neck (Gen. 41:42); and one was promised to Daniel (5:7). It is used as a symbol of sovereignty (Ezek. 16:11). The breast-plate of the high-priest was fastened to the ephod by golden chains (Ex. 39:17, 21). (2.) It was used as an ornament (Prov. 1:9; Cant. 1:10). The Midianites adorned the necks of their camels with chains (Judg. 8:21, 26). (3.) Chains were also used as fetters wherewith prisoners were bound (Judg. 16:21; 2 Sam. 3:34; 2 Kings 25:7; Jer. 39:7). Paul was in this manner bound to a Roman soldier (Acts 28:20; Eph. 6:20; 2 Tim. 1:16). Sometimes, for the sake of greater security, the prisoner was attached by two chains to two soldiers, as in the case of Peter (Acts 12:6).
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