Topic: JAIL AND PUNISHMENT
 |
| Date: | 1200-1300 |
| Language: | Old French |
| Origin: | chaeine, from Latin catena |
| |||||||||
chain1 S3 W2
1 a series of metal rings which are joined together in a line and used for fastening things, supporting weights, decoration etc [↪ link]: 
She had a gold chain around her neck.a length of heavy chain
joined rings
[uncountable and countable]DShe had a gold chain around her neck.a length of heavy chain a bicycle chain (=that makes the wheels turn)
2 a connected series of events or actions, especially which lead to a final result : a rather complicated chain of reasoning ➔ chain of command, food chain
connected events
[countable]a rather complicated chain of reasoning3 a number of shops, hotels, cinemas etc owned or managed by the same company or person ➔ chain store
shops/hotels
[countable]BBC4 people or things which are connected or next to each other forming a line They formed a human chain (=a line of people who pass things from one person to the next) to move the equipment. daisy chains (=flowers tied together)
connected line
[countable]SGThey formed a human chain (=a line of people who pass things from one person to the next) to move the equipment.daisy chains (=flowers tied together)5 metal chains fastened to the legs and arms of a prisoner, to prevent them from escaping
prisoners
[countable usually plural]SCJ ball and chain (=a chain attached to someone's ankle at one end with a heavy metal ball at the other)
6 a number of people buying houses, where each person must complete the sale of their own house before they can buy the next person's house
