chapter

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. One of the main divisions of a relatively lengthy piece of writing, such as a book, that is usually numbered or titled.
2. n. A distinct period or sequence of events, as in history or a person's life: Steamboat travel opened a new chapter in America's exploration of the West.
3. n. A local branch of an organization, such as a club or fraternity: The Chicago chapter is admitting new members this year.
4. n. Ecclesiastical An assembly of the canons of a church or of the members of a religious residence.
5. n. Ecclesiastical The canons of a church or the members of a religious residence considered as a group.
6. n. A short scriptural passage read after the psalms in certain church services.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A division or section, usually numbered, of a book or treatise: as, Genesis contains fifty chapters. Abbreviated c., ch., or chap.
2. n. The council of a bishop, consisting of the canons or prebends and other ecclesiastics attached to a collegiate or cathedral church, and presided over by a dean.
3. n. An assembly of the monks in a monastery, or of those in a province, or of the entire order.
4. n. The place in which the business of the chapter of a cathedral or monastery is conducted; a chapter-house.
5. n. A name given to the meetings of certain organized orders and societies: as, to hold a chapter of the Garter, or of the College of Arms.
6. n. A branch of some society or brotherhood, usually consisting of the members resident in one locality: as, the grand chapter of the royal order of Kilwinning; a chapter of a college fraternity.
7. n. A decretal epistle.
8. n. A place where delinquents receive discipline and correction.
9. n. A series of mishaps; a succession of mischances.
10. To bring to book; tax with a fault; correct; censure.
11. To arrange or divide into chapters, as a literary composition.
12. n. A division of the acts of Parliament of a single session.
13. n. Head; subject; category: as, to have much to say on some chapters.

Wiktionary

1. n. One of the main sections into which the text of a book is divided.
2. n. An administrative division of an organization, usually local to a specific area.
3. n. A sequence (of events), especially when presumed related and likely to continue.
4. v. To divide into chapters.
5. v. To put into a chapter.
6. v. military, with "out" To use administrative procedure to remove someone.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. A division of a book or treatise.
2. n. An assembly of monks, or of the prebends and other clergymen connected with a cathedral, conventual, or collegiate church, or of a diocese, usually presided over by the dean.
3. n. A community of canons or canonesses.
4. n. A bishop's council.
5. n. A business meeting of any religious community.
6. n. An organized branch of some society or fraternity as of the Freemasons.
7. n. A meeting of certain organized societies or orders.
8. n. rare A chapter house.
9. n. A decretal epistle.
10. n. A location or compartment.
11. v. To divide into chapters, as a book.
12. v. obsolete To correct; to bring to book, i. e., to demand chapter and verse.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. any distinct period in history or in a person's life
2. n. a subdivision of a written work; usually numbered and titled
3. n. an ecclesiastical assembly of the monks in a monastery or even of the canons of a church
4. n. a local branch of some fraternity or association
5. n. a series of related events forming an episode