—chain /tʃeɪn/
noun (RINGS)
A2 [C or U] (a length of) rings usually made of metal that are connected together and used for fastening, pulling, supporting, or limiting freedom, or as jewellery:
» The gates were locked with a padlock and a heavy steel chain.» Put the chain on the door if you are alone in the house.» Mary was wearing a beautiful silver chain around her neck.See picture: chain 
Thesaurus+: ↑Cords, ropes, cables and stringin chains
F0 tied with chains:
» The hostages were kept in chains for 23 hours a day.Thesaurus+: ↑Fastening and tyingF0 [plural] a fact or situation that limits a person's freedom:
» At last the country has freed itself from the chains of the authoritarian regime.Thesaurus+: ↑Limiting and restricting , ↑Preventing and impedingnoun UK (HOUSE SALE)
► F0 [C] a situation in which someone selling their house cannot complete the sale because the person who wants to buy it needs to sell their house first: » Some sellers refuse to exchange contracts with buyers who are in a chain.Thesaurus+: ↑Mortgages and real estate , ↑Renting, hiring and hire purchase in general , ↑Renting propertynoun [C] (CONNECTED THINGS)
► B2 a set of connected or related things: » She has built up a chain of 180 bookshops across the country.» His resignation was followed by a remarkable chain of events.Thesaurus+: ↑Groups and collections of things , ↑Variety and mixtures• • •
Extra Examples:» The supermarket chain announced that it was cutting the cost of all its fresh and frozen meat.» Jonson has run the gamut of hotel work, from porter to owner of a large chain of hotels.» The Rockies are a mountain chain in the western USA.» As part of the centenary celebrations a chain of beacons was lit across the region.» They are not only the world's biggest fast-food chain, but also the industry's trendsetter.verb [T usually + adv/prep] ↑Verb Endings for chain
► F0 to fasten someone or something using a chain: » It's so cruel to keep a pony chained up like that all the time.» They chained themselves to lampposts in protest at the judge's decision.» FIGURATIVE I don't want a job where I'm chained to a desk for eight hours a day.Thesaurus+: ↑Fastening and tying