society > inhabiting and dwelling > inhabited place > a building > parts of building > framework of building > [noun] > joist > wood or iron to increase cohesion of wall (4)
Architecture. A bar of iron, etc. built into walls to increase their cohesion; see also chain-bond n., chain-timber n. at compounds 3, chain-plate, n.…
a chain or tier of timber built in a brick-wall to increase its stability and cohesion (see 10).
Architecture. One of a series of connected plates built into the walls of a building to give it greater stability: cf. chain, n. 10.