chain

English Online Dictionary. What means chain‎? What does chain mean?

English

Etymology

From Middle English cheyne, chaine, from Old French chaine, chaene (“chain”), from Latin catēna (“chain”), from Proto-Indo-European *kat- (“to braid, twist; hut, shed”). Doublet of catena.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈt͡ʃeɪn/
• Rhymes: -eɪn

Noun

chain (plural chains)

2. A ]]s usually made of metal.

4. A series of interconnected things.

6. A series of stores or businesses with the same brand name.

8. (organic chemistry, physical chemistry) A number of atoms in a series, which combine to form a molecule.

10. (surveying) A series of interconnected links of known length, used as a measuring device.
12. (surveying) A long measuring tape.
14. A unit of length, exactly equal to 22 yards, which is 4 rods or 100 links, and approximately equal to 20.12 metres; the length of a Gunter's surveying chain; the length of a cricket pitch.
16. (mathematics, set theory, order theory) A totally ordered set, especially a totally ordered subset of a poset.
18. (algebraic topology, originally) A formal sum of cells in a CW complex of a certain dimension k (in which case the formal sums are called k-chains); a formal sum of simplices or cubes of a certain dimension in a simplical complex or cubical complex (respectively).
20. (algebraic topology, homological algebra, more generally) An element of a group (or module) in a chain complex.
22. (British) A sequence of linked house purchases, each of which is dependent on the preceding and succeeding purchase (said to be "broken" if a buyer or seller pulls out).
24. That which confines, fetters, or secures; a bond.
26. (nautical, in the plural) Iron links bolted to the side of a vessel to bold the dead-eyes connected with the shrouds; also, the channels.
28. A livery collar, a chain of office.
30. (weaving) The warp threads of a web.

Synonyms

• (series of interconnected rings or links): rackle
• (series of interconnected things): See also Thesaurus:sequence

Hyponyms

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

chain (third-person singular simple present chains, present participle chaining, simple past and past participle chained)

1. (transitive) To fasten something with a chain.

2. (figurative) To connect as if with a chain, due to dependence, addiction, or other feelings

3. (intransitive) To link multiple items together.
4. (transitive) To secure someone with fetters.
5. (transitive) To obstruct the mouth of a river etc with a chain.
6. (figurative) To obligate.
7. (computing) To relate data items with a chain of pointers.
8. (computing) To be chained to another data item.
9. (transitive) To measure a distance using a 66-foot long chain, as in land surveying.
10. (transitive, computing, rare, associated with Acorn Computers) To load and automatically run (a program).

Derived terms

• unchain
• chain up

Translations

References

• William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin E[li] Smith, editors (1911), “chain”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC.
• “chain”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• OED 2nd edition 1989

Further reading

• Category:chains on Wikimedia Commons.Wikimedia Commons

Anagrams

• China, hican, Chi-an, Chian, Anich, Achin, china

Welsh

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /χai̯n/

Adjective

chain

1. Aspirate mutation of cain.

Mutation