chain

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“
Then, just as the chain was about to start again, she stood on tiptoe and whispered into his ear:

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Definitions (67)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (15)

  1. noun A connected, flexible series of links, typically of metal, used especially for holding objects together or restraining or for transmitting mechanical power.
  2. noun Such a set of links, often of precious metal and with pendants attached, worn as an ornament or symbol of office.
  3. noun A restraining or confining agent or force.
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Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (38)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (2)

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Examples (50)

  • Across the man's chest was draped a heavy gold watch chain, and to this chain was affixed a gold medallion, rectangular, with rounded corners, and bearing the likeness of Satan seated on one corner of a quarter-moon The stranger's head was completely concealed in a metal helmet, evidently one of the helmets made to be attached to the green suits. —  061 - Devil On The Moon
  • Under Hwang and Lee, the chain was already on track to have 50 locations by year's end, including shops in Las Vegas in London. —  Inc.com
  • I hope they know full well that a chain is as strong as its weakest link. —  Slashdot: Your Rights Online
  • The next link in the chain is a specialist negotiator, whose job is to try to reach a reasonable price. —  BBC News | News Front Page | World Edition
  • To give consumers an extra incentive to stop by, the chain is also offering doughnuts for —  news | LD | http://www.the-dispatch.com
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This word has been looked up 133 times.

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Related

Roget's II Roget's II: The New Thesaurus

Allen's Allen's Synonyms and Antonyms

Used in the same context Used in the Same Context

ring ·  rope ·  line ·  wire ·  string ·  belt ·  piece ·  bar ·  arm ·  pattern ·  pair ·  instrument

Used in the same contextWord Family

chain:   chains ·  chained
Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary. Copyright © 2003, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Etymologies (3)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Middle English chaine, from Old French, from Latin catēna.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (2)

  1. from Middle English chaine, chayne, cheine, cheyne, from Old French chaine, chaene, French chaíne = Provencal Spanish cadena = Portuguese cadea = Italian catena = Middle Dutch ketene, Dutch keten, keiting = Middle Low German kedene, kede, Low German kede = Old High German chetinna, chetina (later Sloven, ketina), Middle High German ketene, German kette = Icelandic (modern) kedhja = Swedish kedja, ked = Danish kjæde = Welsh cadwyn, cadwen, a chain, from Latin catena, a chain: see catena, catenary, etc., and cf. chignon.
  2. from Middle English chaynen, cheynen, etc.; from the noun.
 

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/tʃeɪn/
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