chain
(tʃeɪn )
Word forms: chains , chaining , chained
1. countable noun A2
A chain consists of metal rings connected together in a line.
His open shirt revealed a fat gold chain.
The dogs were leaping and growling at the full stretch of their chains.
Synonyms: tether, coupling, link, bond
2. plural noun [in NOUN]
If prisoners are in chains, they have thick rings of metal round their wrists or ankles to prevent them from escaping.
He'd spent four and a half years in windowless cells, much of the time in chains.
3. plural noun [oft NOUN of noun]
You can refer to feelings and duties which prevent you from doing what you want to do as chains. [literary]
He had to break right now the chains of habit that bound him to the present.
4. verb [Also VERB PARTICLE noun]
If a person or thing is chained to something, they are fastened to it with a chain.
The dog was chained to the leg of the one solid garden seat. [be VERB-ed + to]
She chained her bike to the railings. [VERB noun + to]
Some demonstrators chained themselves to railings inside the court building. [VERB noun to noun]
We were sitting together in our cell, chained to the wall. [VERB-ed]
Synonyms: bind, confine, restrain, handcuff
Chain up means the same as chain.
I'll lock the doors and chain you up. [VERB noun PARTICLE]
They kept me chained up every night and released me each day. [VERB-ed PARTICLE]
All the rowing boats were chained up. [VERB-ed PARTICLE]
5. countable noun B2
A chain of things is a group of them existing or arranged in a line.
...a chain of islands known as the Windward Islands. [+ of]
Students tried to form a human chain around the parliament.
6. countable noun B1+
A chain of shops, hotels, or other businesses is a number of them owned by the same person or company.
...a large supermarket chain.
...Italy's leading chain of cinemas. [+ of]
7. singular noun B2
A chain of events is a series of them happening one after another.
...the bizarre chain of events that led to his departure in January 1938. [+ of]
8. See also food chain
Phrasal verbs:
chain up
Vocabulary Builder
BICYCLE handlebars gears crossbar brake saddle frame pedal wheel chain tyre Idioms:
yank someone's chain [mainly US, informal]
to say something to annoy someone
When would I learn to smarten up and ignore her when she yanked my chain?
Easy Learning Idioms Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
a ball and chain
someone or something that limits your freedom to do what you want
Our national debt is an economic ball and chain dragging us down, keeping longer term interest rates high.
Easy Learning Idioms Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Collocations:
big chain chain of custody chain of events chain of transmission chain operates chain outlet chain retailer chain ring chain together cinema chain complex chain discount chain distribution chain DIY chain fashion chain form a chain gold chain grocery chain high-street chain hospital chain island chain major chain metal chain national chain nationwide chain neck chain pull a chain retail chain sandwich chain silver chain supermarket chain wear a chain
One big chain has cut some fruit and veg prices by half.
The Sun (2008)
We've heard that one of the big chains has £80 million of unsold houses.
The Sun (2008)
He conceded that big chains could be better placed to survive than smaller independent pharmacies.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
You don't want to break the chain of custody.
Times, Sunday Times
As with all evidence a chain of custody must be maintained for crime scene photographs.
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Stating that the chain of custody of the medical investigation was not coordinated properly.
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Access to the instrument data can sometimes be regulated based on chain of custody assignments or other security features if need be.
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For litigation support, email can be retrieved quickly and a history of the email exists to prove its authenticity for chain of custody.
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One mission had already failed, and unexpected contact with the previous ship sets off a dangerous chain of events.
The Sun
The newspaper of record will not miss any item of this chain of events.
Times, Sunday Times
But what the club did not reveal was the chain of events that led to the shock announcement.
The Sun
Such fear and panic could set in motion a remarkable chain of events.
ST
What happened next set in motion a chain of events with consequences that reached far and wide.
Times, Sunday Times
We should have been learning from other countries about breaking the chain of transmission, mass testing, tracing contacts.
Times,Sunday Times
It involved vaccinating everyone in the immediate vicinity of each case, forming a ring of immunity to break the chain of transmission, while tracing and isolating the infected individual's contacts.
Times,Sunday Times
Had a low-grade chain of transmission simply slipped beneath their radar?
Globe and Mail
The second was that the descriptions of the chain of transmission extant since that period are not complete and sound (sahih).
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He travelled about the countries and excelled in the text and the chain of transmission.
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The chain operates more than 1,000 stores and has a market capitalisation of almost $3 billion.
Times, Sunday Times
The 105 store chain operates in 17 states.
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The supermarket chain operates in a rather unique manner for a supermarket using the franchise system.
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The chain operates over 200 hotels and resorts in approximately 75 nations.
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The chain operates either in, or in close proximity to, affluent suburban towns, and its stores offer a mix of traditional and upmarket grocery items.
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Put another way, if the coffee chain outlet doesn't get its disposable coffee cups before opening each day it doesn't sell any coffee.
Times, Sunday Times
Since our first report was published in 1999 we have seen a seven to eightfold increase in coffee houses, from about 700 branded chain outlets to more than 5,000 today.
Times, Sunday Times
There's a good deli, but you'll search in vain for juice bars and coffee chain outlets and antique shops.
Times, Sunday Times
He now owns 28 gourmet restaurants and more than 40 chain outlets.
Times, Sunday Times
He wears his clothing for 23 days before discarding it, usually purchasing new clothing cheaply from chain outlets.
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For example, a major chain retailer may be able to negotiate a below-market lease to serve as the anchor tenant for a shopping center.
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The fund focuses on consumer products with clearly definable intellectual property, that can be mass-manufactured and sold to chain retailers internationally.
Times, Sunday Times
It contains a mixture of independent and chain retailers, and has been termed both fashionable and up-and-coming.
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Types of businesses that often have this feature include chain retailers, hotels, restaurants, and other businesses that can be found in multiple metropolitan areas.
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It was noted as fashionable and up-and-coming from the 1990s since when it has attracted many designer label outlets as well as independent and chain retailers.
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Put your timing chip on your left ankle to prevent it getting caught in your chain ring when biking.
The Sun
The oval chain ring offers more thrust at certain points of the rotation.
Times, Sunday Times
You will need to have a new rear wheel built, and will probably need a new front crankset and chain ring (the front cog that drives the chain).
Times, Sunday Times
After freewheeling while trying to lift the chain back on to his chain ring, he was forced to climb off the bike, before remounting and setting off once more.
Times, Sunday Times
Wrap as much of the chain, chain rings, and derailleur in cling film as you can.
Times, Sunday Times
We had to resell quickly to keep the chain together - which we did, but at 14,000 less.
Times, Sunday Times
The combination of its long boost and its long jumps allow it to chain together shortcuts on tracks that have shortcuts that can be chained.
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There are different forms of chains, named by which of the seven lysine amino acids are used to link the chain together.
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Players run on walls, double jump (with a jet pack), vault over obstacles, glide across ziplines, and chain together combos.
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He's an incredibly gifted fighter who likes to chain together aerial moves.
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Britain's cinema chains are fitting digital kit into all their projection booths.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
One cinema chain back-pedalled rapidly after receiving an angry response to its idea of allowing texting during films.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The success of films about adolescent males coming of age has boosted box office receipts at the country's biggest cinema chain over the summer.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
The emphasis thus has to be on unravelling the complex chain of command over and beyond the four suspects.
Times, Sunday Times
Many western brands had no idea that their clothes were being made in such lethal conditions, through a complex chain of sub-contractors.
Times, Sunday Times
This instigated a complex chain of events in which both the trainer and his vet seem guilty of obfuscation.
Times, Sunday Times
According to this argument, the interaction of each part with its immediate surroundings causes a complex chain of processes that can lead to order in some form.
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As ozone breaks down in the water, a complex chain reaction mechanism occurs under the effect of the various solutes in the water or released during purification treatment.
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The discount chain was accused by some of expanding too fast and treating staff poorly.
Times,Sunday Times
The discount chain, which admitted breaching food hygiene laws, must also pay 18,162 costs.
The Sun
The filing gives the discount chain, which employs 5,000 people, ten days to try to finalise a rescue deal.
Times, Sunday Times
And the discount chain, which has 242 stores across the country, has 200 positions available right now.
The Sun
It has been battling slower sales growth because of problems including increased competition, macroeconomic headwinds and the popularity of discount chains and own brands.
Times,Sunday Times
Pharmacies have become a link in the distribution chain for medicines.
Times, Sunday Times
Another 1.6 billion worth of products will be stolen by employees or lost in the distribution chain.
Times, Sunday Times
The more product lines you have, the more that can be sold down the same distribution chain to the same customers.
Times, Sunday Times
Thousands of the prints were stolen and large batches were sold online after criminals intercepted the supply and distribution chain.
Times,Sunday Times
And big corporates have an advantage: they have the distribution chain.
Times, Sunday Times
Many of Britain's DIY chains have been shutting stores.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The DIY chain's like-for-like sales were up 5.1% in 2019, with underlying earnings expected to come in at £3.5m for the full year, according to an internal presentation.
Times,Sunday Times (2020)
I work for a large DIY chain and had to call a customer a month ago about her order.
The Sun (2009)
Sales and profits at the hip fashion chain have surged.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
She created the silver pendants in 2007 while a buyer for fashion chain Jigsaw.
The Sun (2011)
Saturday clothes shopping could become a little quicker after the world's biggest fashion chain started a trial of self-service tills.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Dialects form a chain that may be better considered three languages.
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Players are supposed to swap one gem with an adjacent one to form a chain of three or more gems of the same color.
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At each linked edge two oxygen ions are shared between two octahedra, and each octahedron must have two shared edges to form a chain.
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The islands form a chain in northeast-southwest direction, and are mostly covered by boreal forests.
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Thus, by activating one of several overlapped markers, players can form a chain of reserved markers.
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There are guys out there who do what they do so they can buy a gold chain.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
I loved his long hair, moustache and the way he wore his white shirt open to show his gold chain and hairy chest.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Round her neck she wore a pair of spectacles on a gold chain.
SOMEWHERE EAST OF LIFE
Inside were a simple white-gold chain and the gold bug stickpin.
IN A STRANGE CITY (2001)
The grocery chain has recorded seven consecutive quarters of falling sales.
Times, Sunday Times
The grocery chain promised to halve plastic packaging by 2025 with a concentration on milk containers.
Times, Sunday Times
Some years ago a member who was a manager in a grocery chain came to me and confessed he had been embezzling funds at work.
Christianity Today
The grocery chain said that from today customers who spend more than 40 in-store would get 6p off every litre of petrol or diesel they buy at the pump.
Times, Sunday Times
So how do customers feel about the $470bn retail colossus devouring the worthy, eco-minded grocery chain?
Times, Sunday Times
I buy my lunch from the food department of a high-street chain store.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
How big a deal can one dress from a high-street chain be?
Times,Sunday Times (2019)
They look way too cool and considered for a high-street chain.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Pulse found that every major private hospital chain had boosted profits or revenues over the past year.
Times, Sunday Times
For the year-earlier quarter, the hospital chain posted profit of $242-million, or 48 cents a share.
Globe and Mail
Let the mergers and acquistions - and the possible evolution of hospital chains - be driven from the ground up.
Times, Sunday Times
Other experts backed the idea that branded hospital chains could be a way forward.
Times, Sunday Times
Infected healthcare workers can - unwittingly - create hospital chains of infection with tragic consequences for vulnerable people.
Times,Sunday Times
That became obvious a few hours later after we paddled in the lee of a long island chain, heading west.
Times, Sunday Times
It occupies the southwest area of the island chain, including all the western side of the main island.
The Sun
The voyages will visit some of the most isolated points in the island chain.
Times, Sunday Times
The centre of the storm was not projected to pass through the island chain but even a glancing blow would wreak havoc.
Times, Sunday Times
On the way a cultural assessment was carried out and ties were reestablished with the remaining communities along the island chain.
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Demonstrators were reported to have stormed most major chain supermarkets and forced them to close.
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For example, a major chain retailer may be able to negotiate a below-market lease to serve as the anchor tenant for a shopping center.
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They argued that when there are parental complaints, major chain stores stop selling the series, so to keep wide distribution, they made some concessions.
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Major chain companies can offer different pin materials (stainless steel being common), plate shapes, surface treatments, and so on depending on the individual application.
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A small hometown grocery store with all the modern conveniences and price discounting of a major chain.
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Distinguished by its quilting and metal chain strap, the design has altered little since it was launched in 1955.
Times, Sunday Times
The leg irons gave way to a metal chain about 15ft long.
Times, Sunday Times
It has golf ball-sized beads on a metal chain.
Times, Sunday Times
He carried a doctor's leather case with a metal chain down his arm, attached to the bag.
The Sun
This winter there are natty metal chain fringes on cropped jackets, while dramatic feather trims adorn military-style parkas.
Times, Sunday Times
It was founded in 1833 as a bookshop and became a national chain of booksellers and news agencies.
Times, Sunday Times
An education entrepreneur who started a teashop business as a reaction to the espresso bar invasion plans to turn it into a national chain.
Times, Sunday Times
The creation of a national chain has helped boost profits 78% a year, from an annualised 1.1m in 2001 to 6.2m in 2004.
Times, Sunday Times
We don't need a national chain.
The Sun
In 1940, the group bought 15 department stores across the country, which suddenly made it a national chain.
Times, Sunday Times
She lights first beacon in nationwide chain of 1,000.
Times, Sunday Times
Now a nationwide chain of seafood restaurants, it also has a mail order service and specialises in oysters, langoustines, mussels and scallops from the loch, as well as smoked fish.
Times, Sunday Times
But they both lived to see their business grow from their front room into a nationwide chain of 'local' shops.
Times, Sunday Times
They aim to open eight sites this year and build a nationwide chain.
Times, Sunday Times
They were the first nationwide chain to do this.
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There's definitely more on the neck chain than just the ones for her house though.
The Sun
The gong will be the perfect medallion at the end of his trademark neck chain.
Times, Sunday Times
Over a quarter never restrain them and others use dangerous methods like neck chains.
The Sun
One of her neck chains.
The Sun
They are mostly worn on a cord around the waist, but are also often seen accompanying amulet on neck chains.
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He used to have a chain on a ball in the back garden and would practise jumping and heading it, pull the chain and the ball would go higher.
Times, Sunday Times
Maybe he should 'pull the chain'.
The Sun
Time to pull the chain?
Times, Sunday Times
Macaques refused to pull a chain that delivered food to themselves if doing so also caused a companion to receive an electric shock.
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Unfortunately, he pulled the chain too hard and the cistern crashed to the ground.
Times, Sunday Times
At the retail chain, orders in the same period were down 17 per cent, or 14 per cent on a like-for-like basis.
Times, Sunday Times
I find it quite unacceptable that a national retail chain seems to have instructed store managers to refuse refunds.
ST
The retail chain admitted that it had been taken off-guard by the speed of the slowdown as shoppers stopped spending.
Times, Sunday Times
That's how the retail chain works: leave a cut for the next guy.
Times, Sunday Times
The retail chain has been performing strongly and recently announced an 11% rise in sales for the festive season.
Times, Sunday Times
The sandwich chain plans to open at least 10 more over the next month.
Times,Sunday Times
The sandwich chain only employs 'people who are friendly and lively'.
Times, Sunday Times
The sandwich chain justifies its 2,000 per cent mark-up with a lot of guff about the till, stock inventory and franchises.
The Sun
The sandwich chain has now announced that labels will list all ingredients, including prominent allergen warnings, on every product.
The Sun
The sandwich chain says it wants to 'help change habits'.
The Sun
She laughs and lights a cigarette from the lighter she wears on a long silver chain around her neck.
Times, Sunday Times
What arrived was a 16in silver chain.
Times, Sunday Times
A silver chain links to love.
The Sun
It was the intense, continuous linking of them - its 'silver chain of sound' - that he found so marvellous.
Times, Sunday Times
In her sea bird form, she flies with a flock of enchanted birds, with each pair joined together by a silver chain.
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The supermarket chain says the service will be 'significantly cheaper' than current market rates.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The supermarket chain will open four smaller shops on a trial basis in the next few months.
The Sun (2008)
By comparison, the supermarket chain's unsmoked back bacon contains 233 calories per 100 g and 13.8g of fat.
Times, Sunday Times (2018)
Could the price-cutting supermarket chain become a dividend cutter too?
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The supermarket chain is creating 5,670 new roles - most on a lower pay grade.
The Sun (2014)
This one, appearing as if it was a squabble between town councillors about who gets to wear a chain, seems particularly arcane and uninteresting to many people.
Times, Sunday Times
Traditionally, they wear a chain around the neck, because their original function was to lock and unlock doors.
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The supporters are an osprey and a heron, both with a fish in their beaks, and wearing a chain round their necks.
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He tells her that he started a fight with a stranger because the stranger was wearing the chain of pearl he gave her.
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In the manga, she sometimes wears a chain of keys around her waist.
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Translations:
Chinese: 链
Japanese: 鎖
- clarity of vision
- clash
- clash angrily
- clashing prints
- clash of ideas
- clash of interests
- clash of opinions
- clash of styles
- clash of titans
- clash of values
- clash repeatedly
- clash violently
- clasp
- clasp tightly
- class
- class act
- class action
- class-action lawsuit
- class-action suit
- class activities
- class attendance
- class barrier
- class-conscious
- class-consciousness
- class discussion