[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

chain \chain\ ch=an, n. f. cha^ine, fr. l. catena. cf.
   catenate.
   1. a series of links or rings, usually of metal, connected,
      or fitted into one another, used for various purposes, as
      of support, of restraint, of ornament, of the exertion and
      transmission of mechanical power, etc.
      1913 webster

            they put a chain of gold about his neck. --dan. v.
                                                  29.
      1913 webster

   2. that which confines, fetters, or secures, as a chain; a
      bond; as, the chains of habit.
      1913 webster

            driven down
            to chains of darkness and the undying worm.
                                                  --milton.
      1913 webster

   3. a series of things linked together; or a series of things
      connected and following each other in succession; as, a
      chain of mountains; a chain of events or ideas.
      1913 webster

   4. surv. an instrument which consists of links and is used
      in measuring land.
      1913 webster

   note: one commonly in use is gunter's chain, which consists
         of one hundred links, each link being seven inches and
         ninety-two one hundredths in length; making up the
         total length of rods, or sixty-six, feet; hence, a
         measure of that length; hence, also, a unit for land
         measure equal to four rods square, or one tenth of an
         acre.
         1913 webster

   5. pl. naut. iron links bolted to the side of a vessel to
      bold the dead-eyes connected with the shrouds; also, the
      channels.
      1913 webster

   6. weaving the warp threads of a web. --knight.
      1913 webster

   chain belt mach., a belt made of a chain; -- used for
      transmitting power.

   chain boat, a boat fitted up for recovering lost cables,
      anchors, etc.

   chain bolt
      a naut. the bolt at the lower end of the chain plate,
          which fastens it to the vessel's side.
      b a bolt with a chain attached for drawing it out of
          position.

   chain bond. see chain timber.

   chain bridge, a bridge supported by chain cables; a
      suspension bridge.

   chain cable, a cable made of iron links.

   chain coral zool., a fossil coral of the genus
      halysites, common in the middle and upper silurian
      rocks. the tubular corallites are united side by side in
      groups, looking in an end view like links of a chain. when
      perfect, the calicles show twelve septa.

   chain coupling.
      a a shackle for uniting lengths of chain, or connecting
          a chain with an object.
      b railroad supplementary coupling together of cars
          with a chain.

   chain gang, a gang of convicts chained together.

   chain hook naut., a hook, used for dragging cables about
      the deck.

   chain mail, flexible, defensive armor of hammered metal
      links wrought into the form of a garment.

   chain molding arch., a form of molding in imitation of a
      chain, used in the normal style.

   chain pier, a pier suspended by chain.

   chain pipe naut., an opening in the deck, lined with
      iron, through which the cable is passed into the lockers
      or tiers.

   chain plate shipbuilding, one of the iron plates or
      bands, on a vessel's side, to which the standing rigging
      is fastened.

   chain pulley, a pulley with depressions in the periphery of
      its wheel, or projections from it, made to fit the links
      of a chain.

   chain pumps. see in the vocabulary.

   chain rule arith., a theorem for solving numerical
      problems by composition of ratios, or compound proportion,
      by which, when several ratios of equality are given, the
      consequent of each being the same as the antecedent of the
      next, the relation between the first antecedent and the
      last consequent is discovered.

   chain shot mil., two cannon balls united by a shot chain,
      formerly used in naval warfare on account of their
      destructive effect on a ship's rigging.

   chain stitch. see in the vocabulary.

   chain timber. arch. see bond timber, under bond.

   chain wales. naut. same as channels.

   chain wheel. see in the vocabulary.

   closed chain, open chain chem., terms applied to the
      chemical structure of compounds whose rational formulae
      are written respectively in the form of a closed ring see
      benzene nucleus, under benzene, or in an open
      extended form.

   endless chain, a chain whose ends have been united by a
      link.
      1913 webster
see also:
catenate chain belt chain boat chain bolt chain bond chain timber 
chain bridge chain cable chain coral halysites chain coupling 
chain gang chain hook chain mail chain molding chain pier 
chain pipe chain plate chain pulley chain pumps chain rule 
chain shot chain stitch bond timber bond chain wales 
channels chain wheel closed chain open chain benzene nucleus 
benzene endless chain 

[2] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

chain \chain\, v. t. imp. p. p. chained ch=and; p. pr. 
   vb. n. chaining.
   1. to fasten, bind, or connect with a chain; to fasten or
      bind securely, as with a chain; as, to chain a bulldog.
      1913 webster

            chained behind the hostile car.       --prior.
      1913 webster

   2. to keep in slavery; to enslave.
      1913 webster

            and which more blest? who chained his country, say
            or he whose virtue sighed to lose a day? --pope.
      1913 webster

   3. to unite closely and strongly.
      1913 webster

            and in this vow do chain my soul to thine. --shak.
      1913 webster

   4. surveying to measure with the chain.
      1913 webster

   5. to protect by drawing a chain across, as a harbor.
      1913 webster
see also:
chained chaining 

[3] : WordNet (r) 2.0

chain
     n 1: a series of things depending on each other as if linked
          together; "the chain of command"; "a complicated
          concatenation of circumstances" syn: concatenation
     2: chemistry a series of linked atoms generally in an
        organic molecule syn: chemical chain
     3: a series of usually metal rings or links fitted into one
        another to make a flexible ligament
     4: a number of similar establishments stores or restaurants or
        banks or hotels or theaters under one ownership
     5: anything that acts as a restraint
     6: a unit of length
     7: british biochemist born in germany who isolated and
        purified penicillin, which had been discovered in 1928 by
        sir alexander fleming 1906-1979 syn: ernst boris chain,
         sir ernst boris chain
     8: a series of hills or mountains; "the valley was between two
        ranges of hills"; "the plains lay just beyond the mountain
        range" syn: range, mountain range, range of
        mountains, mountain chain, chain of mountains
     9: metal shackles; for hands or legs syn: iron, irons, chains
     10: a necklace made by a stringing objects together; "a string
         of beads"; "a strand of pearls"; syn: string, strand
     v 1: connect or arrange into a chain by linking
     2: fasten or secure with chains; "chain the chairs together"
        ant: unchain
see also:
concatenation chemical chain ernst boris chain sir ernst boris chain range mountain range 
range of mountains mountain chain chain of mountains iron irons 
chains string strand unchain 

[4] : Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

384 moby thesaurus words for "chain":
   alps, andes, caucasus, himalayas, indian file, kekule formula,
   oregon boat, rockies, accouple, accumulate, accumulative, additive,
   additory, agglutinate, alps on alps, alternation, amass, anchor,
   andiron, anklet, armlet, armory, array, arrest, articulate,
   articulation, assemble, associate, atomic cluster, badge,
   badge of office, badges, band, bandage, bangle, bank, baton,
   batten, batten down, be continuous, beads, bearing rein, belay,
   belt, bend, benzene ring, bijou, bilbo, bind, bind up, bit,
   blazonry, bond, bonds, brace, bracelet, bracket, brake,
   branched chain, brassard, breastpin, bridge, bridge over, bridle,
   brooch, bundle, button, buzz, camisole, cap and gown, cartel,
   catena, catenate, catenation, cement, chain of office,
   chain reaction, chaining, chains, chaplet, charm, chatelaine,
   check, checkrein, chock, cinch, circle, clap together, class ring,
   cliched, clog, closed chain, coal tongs, cockade, collar, collect,
   combination, combine, commonplace, compound radical, comprise,
   concatenate, concatenation, confine, confinement, conglobulate,
   conglomerate, conjoin, conjugate, connect, connect up, connection,
   consecution, continuate, continue, continuum, control, copulate,
   cordillera, coronet, countercheck, couple, course, cover, crane,
   crook, cross, crown, cuffs, curb, curb bit, cycle, damper,
   decoration, descent, diadem, do up, doorstop, drag, drag sail,
   dress, drift anchor, drift sail, drogue, drone, eagle, earring,
   emblems, embrace, enchain, encompass, endless belt, endless round,
   ensigns, entrammel, fasces, fasten, fasten down, fetter, fetters,
   figurehead, file, filiation, fire hook, fire tongs, firedog,
   fleur-de-lis, fob, form a series, gag, gamut, gather, gem, gird,
   girdle, girt, girth, glue, gradation, grate, grating, grid,
   griddle, gridiron, grill, griller, group, gyve, gyves, hackneyed,
   halter, hammer and sickle, hamper, handcuff, handcuffs, heraldry,
   heterocycle, hobble, hobbles, hog-tie, holdback, homocycle, hopple,
   hopples, hum, include, insignia, irons, jewel, join, knot, lace,
   lapel pin, lash, lattice, lay together, leading strings, league,
   leash, lifter, limit, line, lineage, link, livery, locket,
   lump together, mace, maintain continuity, make fast, make secure,
   make sure, manacle, mantle, markings, marry, marshal, martingale,
   mass, massif, medal, merge, mobilize, molecule, monotone, moor,
   mortarboard, mountain range, muzzle, necklace, nexus, nose ring,
   old hat, old school tie, order, pair, peg down, pelham, pendulum,
   periodicity, picket, piece together, pillory, pin, pin down,
   pinion, plenum, poker, pool, pothook, powder train, precious stone,
   progression, put in irons, put together, queue, radical, range,
   rank, recurrence, regalia, reins, restrain, restraint, restraints,
   restrict, reticulation, rhinestone, ring, roll into one, rope,
   rose, rotation, round, routine, row, run, run on, salamander,
   scale, school ring, scotch, sea anchor, secure, sequence, series,
   set, shackle, shamrock, shopworn, side chain, sierra,
   sigillography, simple radical, single file, skull and crossbones,
   snaffle, solder, space-lattice, span, spectrum, sphragistics, spit,
   splice, spoke, staff, stale, stay, stereotyped, stick together,
   stickpin, stocks, stone, stop, straight chain, straightjacket,
   strait-waistcoat, straitjacket, stranglehold, strap, string,
   string together, succession, summative, swaddle, swastika, swath,
   swathe, take in, tape, tartan, tether, thistle, thread, tiara, tie,
   tie down, tie up, tier, tongs, torque, train, trammel, trammels,
   tripod, trivet, truss, trust, turnspit, twice-told, uniform, unify,
   unite, verge, wampum, wand, weld, windrow, wire, wrap, wrap up,
   wristband, wristlet, yoke

[5] : Jargon File (4.3.1, 29 Jun 2001)

chain 1. vi. orig. from basic's `chain' statement to hand off
   execution to a child or successor without going through the os command
   interpreter that invoked it. the state of the parent program is lost and
   there is no returning to it. though this facility used to be common on
   memory-limited micros and is still widely supported for backward
   compatibility, the jargon usage is semi-obsolescent; in particular, most
   unix programmers will think of this as an exec. oppose the more modern
   `subshell'. 2. n. a series of linked data areas within an operating
   system or application. `chain rattling' is the process of repeatedly
   running through the linked data areas searching for one which is of
   interest to the executing program. the implication is that there is a
   very large number of links on the chain.


see also:
os exec 

[6] : The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03)

chain
     
        1.  from basic's "chain" statement to
        pass control to a child or successor without going through the
        operating system command interpreter that invoked you.
        the state of the parent program is lost and there is no
        returning to it.  though this facility used to be common on
        memory-limited microcomputers and is still widely supported
        for backward compatibility, the jargon usage is
        semi-obsolescent; in particular, unix calls this exec.
     
        compare with the more modern "subshell".
     
        2.  a series of linked data areas within an
        operating system or application program.  "chain rattling"
        is the process of repeatedly running through the linked data
        areas searching for one which is of interest.  the implication
        is that there are many links in the chain.
     
        3.  a possibly infinite, non-decreasing sequence of
        elements of some total ordering, s
     
        	x0 <= x1 <= x2 ...
     
        a chain satisfies:
     
        	for all x,y in s, x <= y \/ y <= x.
     
        i.e. any two elements of a chain are related.
     
        "<=" is written in latex as \sqsubseteq.
     
        jargon file
     
        1995-02-03
     
     
see also:
basic operating system command interpreter microcomputers backward compatibility unix 
exec subshell application program total ordering latex 
\sqsubseteq jargon file 

[7] : Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary

chain
   1. a part of the insignia of office. a chain of gold was
   placed about joseph's neck gen. 41:42; and one was promised to
   daniel 5:7. it is used as a symbol of sovereignty ezek.
   16:11. the breast-plate of the high-priest was fastened to the
   ephod by golden chains ex. 39:17, 21.
   
     2. it was used as an ornament prov. 1:9; cant. 1:10. the
   midianites adorned the necks of their camels with chains judg.
   8:21, 26.
   
     3. chains were also used as fetters wherewith prisoners were
   bound judg. 16:21; 2 sam. 3:34; 2 kings 25:7; jer. 39:7. paul
   was in this manner bound to a roman soldier acts 28:20; eph.
   6:20; 2 tim. 1:16. sometimes, for the sake of greater security,
   the prisoner was attached by two chains to two soldiers, as in
   the case of peter acts 12:6.
   

Chain >> C Words
Chain, definition of term: Chain
chain_pag1.html

Chain Saw >> C Words
Chain Saw, definition of term: Chain Saw
chain+saw_pag1.html

Chain Mail >> C Words
Chain Mail, definition of term: Chain Mail
chain+mail_pag1.html

Chain Reaction >> C Words
Chain Reaction, definition of term: Chain Reaction
chain+reaction_pag1.html

Chain Letter >> C Words
Chain Letter, definition of term: Chain Letter
chain+letter_pag1.html

Chain Gang >> C Words
Chain Gang, definition of term: Chain Gang
chain+gang_pag1.html

Mountain Chain >> M Words
Mountain Chain, definition of term: Mountain Chain
mountain+chain_pag1.html

Markov Chain >> M Words
Markov Chain, definition of term: Markov Chain
markov+chain_pag1.html

Daisy Chain >> D Words
Daisy Chain, definition of term: Daisy Chain
daisy+chain_pag1.html

Food Chain >> F Words
Food Chain, definition of term: Food Chain
food+chain_pag1.html

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