chain
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Related to chain: Markov chain
left to right: figaro, sash, and stud links
chain
(chān)n.
1.
a. A connected, flexible series of links, typically of metal, used especially for holding objects together, for restraining, or for transmitting mechanical power.
b. Such a set of links, often of precious metal and with pendants attached, worn as an ornament or symbol of office.
c. often chains Football Such a set of links measuring ten yards and attached to a pole at each end, moved up and down the field to indicate necessary yardage for gaining a first down.
2. A restraining or confining agent or force.
3. chains
a. Bonds, fetters, or shackles.
b. Captivity or oppression; bondage: threw off the chains of slavery.
4. A series of closely linked or connected things: a chain of coincidences. See Synonyms at series.
5. A number of establishments, such as stores, theaters, or hotels, under common ownership or management.
6. A range of mountains.
7. Chemistry A series of chemically bonded atoms, especially carbon atoms, which may be arranged in an open, branched, or cyclic structure.
8.
a. 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.
b. A similar instrument used in engineering, measuring 100 feet (30.5 meters).
c. Abbr. ch A unit of measurement equal to the length of either of these instruments.
tr.v. chained, chain·ing, chains
Idiom: 1. To bind or make fast with a chain or chains: chained the dog to a tree.
2. To restrain or confine as if with chains: workers who were chained to a life of dull routine.
pull/yank (someone's) chain
To take unfair advantage of someone; deceive or manipulate someone.
[Middle English chaine, from Old French, from Latin catēna.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
chain
(tʃeɪn)n
1. a flexible length of metal links, used for confining, connecting, pulling, etc, or in jewellery
2. (usually plural) anything that confines, fetters, or restrains: the chains of poverty.
3. (Automotive Engineering) (usually plural) Also called: snow chains a set of metal links that fit over the tyre of a motor vehicle to increase traction and reduce skidding on an icy surface
4. (Commerce)
a. a number of establishments such as hotels, shops, etc, having the same owner or management
b. (as modifier): a chain store.
5. a series of related or connected facts, events, etc
6. (Commerce) a series of deals in which each depends on a purchaser selling before being able to buy
7. (Logic) (of reasoning) a sequence of arguments each of which takes the conclusion of the preceding as a premise. See (as an example) sorites
8. (Units) Also called: Gunter's chain a unit of length equal to 22 yards
9. (Units) Also called: engineer's chain a unit of length equal to 100 feet
10. (Chemistry) chem two or more atoms or groups bonded together so that the configuration of the resulting molecule, ion, or radical resembles a chain. See also open chain, ring118
11. (Physical Geography) geography a series of natural features, esp approximately parallel mountain ranges
12. off the chain informal Austral and NZ free from responsibility
13. jerk someone's chain yank someone's chain informal to tease, mislead, or harass someone
vb
14. (Surveying) surveying to measure with a chain or tape
15. (often foll by: up) to confine, tie, or make fast with or as if with a chain
16. (Knitting & Sewing) to sew using chain stitch
[C13: from Old French chaine, ultimately from Latin; see catena]
Chain
(tʃeɪn)n
(Biography) Sir Ernst Boris. 1906–79, British biochemist, born in Germany: purified and adapted penicillin for clinical use; with Fleming and Florey shared the Nobel prize for physiology or medicine 1945
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
chain
(tʃeɪn)n.
1. a series of metal rings passing through one another, used either for hauling, supporting, or confining, or as decoration.
2. chains,
a. shackles or fetters.
b. bondage; servitude: to live one's life in chains.
3. a series of things connected or following in succession: a chain of events.
4. a range of mountains.
5. a number of establishments under one ownership or management.
6. two or more atoms of the same element, usu. carbon, attached as in a chain. Compare ring 1 (def. 14).
7.
v.t. a. a distance-measuring device used by surveyors, consisting of a chain of 100 links of equal length.
b. a unit of length equal to 100 feet (30 m) or 66 feet (20 m).
Abbr.: ch 8. to fasten or secure with a chain.
9. to confine or restrain: His work chained him to his desk.
10. to chain-stitch.
v.i. 11. to form or make a chain.
[1250–1300; Middle English chayne < Old French chaeine < Latin catēna fetter; see catena]
Chain
(tʃeɪn)n.
Sir Ernst Boris, 1906–79, English biochemist, born in Germany: Nobel prize 1945.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
chain
Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. US Department of Defense 2005.
Chain
a series of things linked together into a chain, actually or figuratively. See also catena, cordon, series.Examples: chain of buckets; of causes, 1829; of charity, 1377; of deductions, 1664; of discourse, 1651; of events; of human beings; of ideas; of islands; of lakes; of mountains; of proof; of reasoning, 1809; of shops or supermarkets; of spangles, 1841; of storms; of succession, 1655; of thought, 1711.
Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
chain
Past participle: chained
Gerund: chaining
| Imperative |
|---|
| chain |
| chain |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
chain
A measure of length equal to 22 yd. Also known as Gunter’s chain.
Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  chain - a series of things depending on each other as if linked together; "the chain of command"; "a complicated concatenation of circumstances"catena - a chain of connected ideas or passages or objects so arranged that each member is closely related to the preceding and following members (especially a series of patristic comments elucidating Christian dogma) daisy chain - (figurative) a series of associated things or people or experiences series - similar things placed in order or happening one after another; "they were investigating a series of bank robberies" |
| 2. | chain - (chemistry) a series of linked atoms (generally in an organic molecule) chemical science, chemistry - the science of matter; the branch of the natural sciences dealing with the composition of substances and their properties and reactions closed chain, ring - (chemistry) a chain of atoms in a molecule that forms a closed loop long chain, long-chain molecule - (chemistry) a relatively long chain of atoms in a molecule open chain - a chain of atoms in a molecule whose ends are not joined to form a ring building block, unit - a single undivided natural thing occurring in the composition of something else; "units of nucleic acids" molecule - (physics and chemistry) the simplest structural unit of an element or compound | |
| 3. | chain - a series of (usually metal) rings or links fitted into one another to make a flexible ligament anchor chain, anchor rope - the chain or rope that attaches an anchor to a vessel bicycle chain - a chain that transmits the power from the pedals to the rear wheel of a bicycle chain printer - an impact printer that carries the type slugs by links of a revolving chain chain tongs - a pipe wrench used for turning large pipes; an adjustable chain circles the pipe with its ends connected to the head whose teeth engage the pipe chatelaine - a chain formerly worn at the waist by women; for carrying a purse or bunch of keys etc. ligament - any connection or unifying bond paper chain - a chain made of loops of colored paper; used to decorate a room pull chain - a chain (usually with a handle at the end) that is pulled in order to operate some mechanism (e.g. to flush a toilet) snow chain, tire chain - chain attached to wheels to increase traction on ice or snow | |
| 4. | chain - (business) a number of similar establishments (stores or restaurants or banks or hotels or theaters) under one ownership business enterprise, commercial enterprise, business - the activity of providing goods and services involving financial and commercial and industrial aspects; "computers are now widely used in business" chain store - one of a chain of retail stores under the same management and selling the same merchandise business, business concern, business organisation, business organization, concern - a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it; "he bought his brother's business"; "a small mom-and-pop business"; "a racially integrated business concern" apparel chain - a chain of clothing stores discount chain - a chain of discount stores restaurant chain - a chain of restaurants retail chain - a chain of retail stores | |
| 5. | chain - anything that acts as a restraint constraint, restraint - a device that retards something's motion; "the car did not have proper restraints fitted" | |
| 6. | chain - a unit of length linear measure, linear unit - a unit of measurement of length yard, pace - a unit of length equal to 3 feet; defined as 91.44 centimeters; originally taken to be the average length of a stride Gunter's chain - a unit of length (22 yards) engineer's chain - a unit of length (100 ft) link - a unit of length equal to 1/100 of a chain nautical chain - a nautical unit of length (15 ft) | |
| 7. | Chain - British biochemist (born in Germany) who isolated and purified penicillin, which had been discovered in 1928 by Sir Alexander Fleming (1906-1979) | |
| 8. |  chain - a series of hills or mountains; "the valley was between two ranges of hills"; "the plains lay just beyond the mountain range"geological formation, formation - (geology) the geological features of the earth massif - a block of the earth's crust bounded by faults and shifted to form peaks of a mountain range mountain pass, notch, pass - the location in a range of mountains of a geological formation that is lower than the surrounding peaks; "we got through the pass before it started to snow" | |
| 9. | chain - a linked or connected series of objects; "a chain of daisies" necklace - jewelry consisting of a cord or chain (often bearing gems) worn about the neck as an ornament (especially by women) | |
| 10. | chain - a necklace made by a stringing objects together; "a string of beads"; "a strand of pearls"; necklace - jewelry consisting of a cord or chain (often bearing gems) worn about the neck as an ornament (especially by women) | |
| Verb | 1. | chain - connect or arrange into a chain by linking arrange, set up - put into a proper or systematic order; "arrange the books on the shelves in chronological order" concatenate - combine two strings to form a single one |
| 2. | chain - fasten or secure with chains; "Chain the chairs together" fasten, fix, secure - cause to be firmly attached; "fasten the lock onto the door"; "she fixed her gaze on the man" unchain - remove the chains from |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
chain
noun
1. tether, coupling, link, bond, shackle, fetter, manacle The dogs were growling and pulling at their chains.
3. series, set, train, string, sequence, succession, progression, concatenation a horrific chain of events
verb
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
chain
noun1. Something that physically confines the legs or arms.Used in plural:
bond, fetter, handcuff (often used in plural), hobble, iron (used in plural), manacle, restraint, shackle.
Archaic: gyve.
2. A number of things placed or occurring one after the other:
consecution, course, order, procession, progression, round, run, sequence, series, string, succession, suite, train.
Informal: streak.
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
تَسَلْسُلِ الأحْداثسِلْسِلَةسِلْسِلَهيُقَيِّد
веригапоредица
řetězřetězecřetízekuvázat na řetěz
kædelænkerække
ĉeno
ahelkett
ketju
lanac
láncláncolatmegláncolsorsorozat
hlekkjakeîjaröî
鎖
사슬
catena
grandinėgrandinėlėprekybos tinklui priklausanti parduotuvėprirakintivirtinė
ķēdeķēdītepieķēdētsērijavirkne
lanţ
retiazkaupevniť reťazou
verigaverižicaprikleniti
kedja
โซ่
xích
chain
[tʃeɪn]A. N
3. (fig) chain of mountains → cordillera f
chain of shops → cadena f de tiendas
chain of command → cadena f de mando
chain of events → serie f de acontecimientos
to form a human chain → formar una cadena humana
chain of shops → cadena f de tiendas
chain of command → cadena f de mando
chain of events → serie f de acontecimientos
to form a human chain → formar una cadena humana
4. (= measure) medida de longitud equivalente a 22 yardas o 20,12 metros
C. CPD chain gang N (US) → cadena f de presidiarios
chain letter N → carta f que circula en cadena (con promesa de una ganancia cuantiosa para los que siguen las indicaciones que da)
chain lightning N → relámpagos mpl en zigzag
chain mail N → cota f de malla
chain pump N → bomba f de cangilones
chain reaction N → reacción f en cadena
chain smoker N → fumador(a) m/f empedernido/a
chain stitch N (Sew) → punto m de cadeneta, cadeneta f
chain store N → tienda f que pertenece a una cadena
chain letter N → carta f que circula en cadena (con promesa de una ganancia cuantiosa para los que siguen las indicaciones que da)
chain lightning N → relámpagos mpl en zigzag
chain mail N → cota f de malla
chain pump N → bomba f de cangilones
chain reaction N → reacción f en cadena
chain smoker N → fumador(a) m/f empedernido/a
chain stitch N (Sew) → punto m de cadeneta, cadeneta f
chain store N → tienda f que pertenece a una cadena
chain up VT + ADV → encadenar
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
chain
[ˈtʃeɪn] vt
(= fasten with a chain) [+ prisoner] → enchaîner, attacher (avec une chaîne)
to chain o.s. to sth → s'enchaîner à qch
to chain one's bike to sth → attacher son vélo à qch
to keep a dog chained up → laisser un chien attachéchain gang n → chaîne f de forçatschain letter n → lettre f faisant partie d'une chaînechain mail n (= armour) → cotte f de mailleschain reaction n → réaction f en chaînechain saw n → tronçonneuse fchain-smoke [ˈtʃeɪnsməʊk] vi → fumer cigarette sur cigarettechain-smoker n → gros(se) fumeur/euse m/fchain store n → magasin m à succursales multiples
to chain o.s. to sth → s'enchaîner à qch
to chain one's bike to sth → attacher son vélo à qch
chain up
vt [+ animal] → mettre à l'attache; [+ person] → enchaînerto keep a dog chained up → laisser un chien attachéchain gang n → chaîne f de forçatschain letter n → lettre f faisant partie d'une chaînechain mail n (= armour) → cotte f de mailleschain reaction n → réaction f en chaînechain saw n → tronçonneuse fchain-smoke [ˈtʃeɪnsməʊk] vi → fumer cigarette sur cigarettechain-smoker n → gros(se) fumeur/euse m/fchain store n → magasin m à succursales multiples
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
chain
n
→ Kette f; chains (lit, fig: = fetters) → Ketten pl, → Fesseln pl; (Aut) → (Schnee)ketten pl; chain of office → Amtskette f; to keep a dog on a chain → einen Hund an der Kette halten; to pull or yank somebody’s chain (esp US fig) → jdn necken; in chains → in Ketten
(of mountains) → (Berg)kette f, → (Gebirgs)kette f; (of atoms etc) → Kette f; chain of shops → Ladenkette f; to make a chain → eine Kette bilden; chain of events → Kette von Ereignissen; chain of evidence → Beweiskette f; chain of command (Mil) → Befehlskette f
(= measure of length) → Messkette f
vt (lit, fig) → anketten, festketten; dog → an die Kette legen, anketten; to chain somebody/something to something → jdn/etw an etw (acc) → ketten
chain
in cpds → Ketten-;chain bridge
n → Ketten- or Hängebrücke f
chain drive
n → Kettenantrieb m, → Kettengetriebe f
chain gang
n → Truppe f → aneinandergeketteter Sträflinge, Sträflingskolonne f
chain letter
n → Kettenbrief m
chain lightning
n → Linienblitz m
chain-link fence
n → Maschendrahtzaun m
chain mail
n → Kettenhemd nt
chain reaction
n → Kettenreaktion f
chain saw
n → Kettensäge f
chain-smoke
vi → eine (Zigarette) nach der anderen rauchen, kettenrauchen infin only
chain smoker
n → Kettenraucher(in) m(f)
chain stitch
n (Sew) → Kettenstich m
chain store
n → Kettenladen m
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
chain
[tʃeɪn]2. vt (also chain up) → incatenare
chain up vt + adv (prisoner) → incatenare; (dog) → mettere alla catena
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
chain
(tʃein) noun1. a series of (especially metal) links or rings passing through one another. The dog was fastened by a chain; She wore a silver chain round her neck.
2. a series. a chain of events.
verb to fasten or bind with chains. The prisoner was chained to the wall.
chain mail armour made of iron links.
chain store one of a series of shops (often department stores) under the same ownership.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
chain
→ سِلْسِلَة řetěz kæde Kette αλυσίδα cadena ketju chaîne lanac catena 鎖 사슬 ketting kjede łańcuch corrente цепь kedja โซ่ zincir xích 链Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
chain
n. cadena;
___ reaction → reacción en ___;
___ suture → sutura en ___.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
chain
n cadena; branched-chain de cadena ramificada; — of cold cadena de frío; — of custody cadena de custodia; — of survival cadena de supervivencia; — reaction reacción f en cadena; heavy — cadena pesada; light — cadena ligera; long-chain de cadena larga; medium-chain de cadena mediaEnglish-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.