释义 |
noun | verb chainchain1 /tʃeɪn/ ●●● S3 W2 noun ETYMOLOGYchain1Origin: 1200-1300 Old French chaeine, from Latin catena ► a hotel/restaurant/retail etc. chain Leslie works for a major hotel chain. ► chain of events the chain of events that led to World War I ► link in the chain The salesmen are just one link in the chain of distribution (=part of a process). ► a human chain They quickly formed a human chain (=a line of people who pass things from one person to the next) to move the equipment. ► a chain of atoms/molecules etc. a chain of amino acids ► in chains He was led away in chains. 1 JOINED RINGS [countable, uncountable] a series of rings, usually made of metal, connected together in a line, used as jewelry or for fastening things, supporting weights, etc.: a gold chain a chain and a padlock2STORES/HOTELS [countable] a number of stores, hotels, restaurants, etc. owned or managed by the same company or person: chain of a chain of health clubsa hotel/restaurant/retail etc. chain Leslie works for a major hotel chain.3CONNECTED EVENTS/IDEAS [countable] a connected series of events or actions, especially ones which lead to a final result: chain of a complicated chain of reasoning the chain of events that led to World War I The salesmen are just one link in the chain of distribution (=part of a process).4CONNECTED LINE [countable] people or things which are connected or next to each other forming a line: the Andean mountain chain They quickly formed a human chain (=a line of people who pass things from one person to the next) to move the equipment.a chain of atoms/molecules etc. a chain of amino acids5PRISONERS [countable usually plural] metal chains fastened to the legs and arms of prisoners, to prevent them from escaping: He was led away in chains.6MEASURE [countable] a measurement of length, used in past times7the chains of something literary things such as rules or unfair treatment that limit your freedom: the chains of colonialism → see also chain of command, food chain, key chain[Origin: 1200–1300 Old French chaeine, from Latin catena] noun | verb chainchain2 verb VERB TABLEchain |
Present | I, you, we, they | chain | | he, she, it | chains | Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | chained | Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have chained | | he, she, it | has chained | Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had chained | Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will chain | Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have chained |
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Present | I | am chaining | | he, she, it | is chaining | | you, we, they | are chaining | Past | I, he, she, it | was chaining | | you, we, they | were chaining | Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been chaining | | he, she, it | has been chaining | Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been chaining | Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be chaining | Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been chaining |
1to fasten someone or something to something else using a chain, especially in order to prevent a person from escaping or a thing from being stolen: The gates were chained shut.chain somebody/something to something I chained my bicycle to a tree.chain somebody/something up The hostages were chained up and kept in a dark room.chain somebody/something together Protesters chained themselves together to block the trucks.2be chained to something to have your freedom restricted because of a responsibility you cannot escape: With a sick husband, Sandy’s chained to the house all day. |