- chain
- 1
/tSeIn/ noun
1 JOINED RINGS (C, U) a series of rings, usually made of metal, which are joined together in a line and used for fastening things, supporting weights, decoration etc: Look at the gold chain Tim bought me! | a length of chain | a bridge supported on heavy chains | We had to stop and put chains on the tires. | a bicycle chain (=that makes the wheels turn) | chain of office BrE (=a decoration worn by some officials at ceremonies)2 chain of events/circumstances etc (C) a connected series of events etc: the chain of events that led to World War I-see also: chain of command, food chain3 SHOPS/HOTELS (C) a number of shops, hotels, cinemas etc owned or managed by the same company or person(+ of): a chain of restaurants | hotel/restaurant/retail etc chain: a major American hotel chain4 CONNECTED LINE (C) people, mountains, islands etc forming a line: the largest mountain chain in North America | Everybody link arms to make a chain.5 PRISONER chains (plural) chains fastened to a prisoner's legs and arms, to prevent them from escaping: in chains: There were a number of men in chains, all sentenced to death.6 BUYING A HOUSE (countable usually singular) BrE a number of people buying houses in a situation where each person must complete the sale of their own house before they can buy the next person's house7 MEASURE (C) a measurement of length, used in the past2 verb1 to fasten someone or something to something else, especially in order to prevent them from escaping or being stolen: chain sb/sth up: She wouldn't chain her dog up, and it got killed on the main road. | chain sb/sth together: convicts working all chained together | chain sb/sth to sth: There's a bicycle chained to the railings out front.2 be chained to something to have your freedom restricted because of a responsibility you cannot escape: With a sick husband she's chained to the house all day.
Longman dictionary of contemporary English. 2004.