a series of objects connected one after the other, usually in the form of a series of metal rings passing through one another, used either for various purposes requiring a flexible tie with high tensile strength, as for hauling, supporting, or confining, or in various ornamental and decorative forms.
Often chains. something that binds or restrains; bond.
the chain of timidity; the chains of loyalty.
chains,
shackles or fetters.
to place a prisoner in chains.
bondage; servitude.
to live one's life in chains.
Nautical. (in a sailing vessel) the area outboard at the foot of the shrouds of a mast: the customary position of the leadsman in taking soundings.
a series of things connected or following in succession.
a chain of events.
a range of mountains.
a number of similar establishments, as banks, theaters, or hotels, under one ownership or management.
Chemistry. two or more atoms of the same element, usually carbon, attached as in a chain.
Surveying, Civil Engineering.
a distance-measuring device consisting of a chain of 100 links of equal length, having a total length either of 66 feet (20 meters) Gunter's chain, or surveyor's chain or of 100 feet (30 meters) engineer's chain.
a unit of length equal to either of these.
a graduated steel tape used for distance measurements. ch
Mathematics. totally ordered set.
Football. a chain 10 yards (9 meters) in length for determining whether a first down has been earned.
to fasten or secure with a chain.
to chain a dog to a post.
to confine or restrain.
His work chained him to his desk.
Surveying. to measure (a distance on the ground) with a chain or tape.
Computers. to link (related items, as records in a file or portions of a program) together, especially so that items can be run in sequence.
to make (a chain stitch or series of chain stitches), as in crocheting.
drag the chain, to lag behind or shirk one's fair share of work.
in the chains, standing outboard on the channels or in some similar place to heave the lead to take soundings.
a flexible length of metal links, used for confining, connecting, pulling, etc, or in jewellery
(usually plural) anything that confines, fetters, or restrains
the chains of poverty
Also called: snow chains. (usually plural) a set of metal links that fit over the tyre of a motor vehicle to increase traction and reduce skidding on an icy surface
a number of establishments such as hotels, shops, etc, having the same owner or management
( as modifier )
a chain store
a series of related or connected facts, events, etc
a series of deals in which each depends on a purchaser selling before being able to buy
(of reasoning) a sequence of arguments each of which takes the conclusion of the preceding as a premise See (as an example) sorites
Also called: Gunter's chain. a unit of length equal to 22 yards
Also called: engineer's chain. a unit of length equal to 100 feet
chem two or more atoms or groups bonded together so that the configuration of the resulting molecule, ion, or radical resembles a chain See also open chain ring 1
geography a series of natural features, esp approximately parallel mountain ranges
informal free from responsibility
informal to tease, mislead, or harass someone
surveying to measure with a chain or tape
to confine, tie, or make fast with or as if with a chain
to sew using chain stitch
A group of atoms, often of the same element, bound together in a line, branched line, or ring to form a molecule.
◆ In a straight chain, each of the constituent atoms is attached to other single atoms, not to groups of atoms.
◆ In a branched chain, side groups are attached to the chain.
◆ In a closed chain, the atoms are arranged in the shape of a ring.
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English chayne, from Old French chaeine, from Latin catēna “fetter”; see catena
A chain is a long series of connected metal links. Chains are strong and flexible, so they're useful for pulling a heavy load or securing a dangerous animal. The chain that anchors a ship to a dock or secures a warehouse door is just a larger version of the gold chain you wear around your neck — both are made of loops of metal. More figurative types of chains include things that hold you back, like the chains of your responsibility to your family, or connected occurrences — like a chain of events that leads to you meeting your best friend.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Greggs, the UK's largest fast-food chain, has launched a range of new products this year, many of which latch onto trends such as high-protein salads and matcha.
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026
Ramírez agreed, adding that the opportunity creates a larger chain reaction within a community.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026
The chain added hundreds of new locations during Blackstone’s ownership and plans to expand to 15,000 restaurants from the 3,300 it operated at the end of March, the IPO filing showed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
In December 1942, physicist Enrico Fermi set off humanity’s first nuclear chain reaction, in a squash court at the University of Chicago.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
Cam laughed self-consciously, pulled a beaded key chain out of his pocket.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
The Jesus and Mary Chain cropped up a few times among suggestions for a Scottish Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026
Rodrigo, fresh off the release of her junior album, on Monday unveiled her Daisy Chain Fields music festival and the roster of all-women artists set to take over Irvine’s Great Park on Aug. 29.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 22, 2026
Chain pizza is just so similar to fast-food hamburgers, why bother?”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 17, 2026
Most recently, Amazon’s announcement in May of Amazon Supply Chain Service, a business that will provide distribution, warehousing, and last-mile delivery services, sent many logistics stocks south.
From Barron's ● Jun. 10, 2026
“That appears to be the end. And I’m afraid, if you’ll excuse me, I must be getting along. See you later at the Grand Chain, I hope. I’ll look out for you.”
From "Mary Poppins" by P. L. Travers
The company said it is aiming to optimize supply chains by transferring some production lines to different facilities.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
Island arcs, chains of volcanoes that develop above subduction zones where one oceanic plate descends beneath another, are often unusually rich in gold.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 29, 2026
"China's domestic lithography advances bypass Western supply chains entirely, hitting equipment makers hardest," Angela Harmantas at Proactive Investors wrote.
From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026
In text chains detailed in the motion, agents discussed “soft counts” of “possibles” based on location drive-bys and “roaming.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
When the first chains went in, we figured we’d never fill it up.
From "Linked" by Gordon Korman
His hands and ankles were chained, and he was shipped off to Adelanto alongside a handful of other immigrants, all who were at least a decade older than him.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026
Nobody knows how, since the bell’s been chained up for such a long time that the metal links have rusted.
From Salon ● Jun. 18, 2026
It is what’s known as a privilege escalation exploit, and if it were chained together with other attacks it could be used by a hacker to seize control of the computer.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 14, 2026
Outside the capital's national police facility known as Zone 7, family members had chained themselves to prison gates, while some had spent weeks sleeping in tents.
From Barron's ● Mar. 8, 2026
Any dogs would probably be chained, but the cats would be loose.
From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams
Adding eight gigawatts of new demand to a 2.4 gigawatt system is like chaining an M1 Abrams tank to a Toyota Camry and expecting the two vehicles to drive calmly down the highway together.
From Barron's ● Feb. 25, 2026
You and your husband have gone from wanting to sell this house to actually chaining yourself to the house and the future occupants.
From MarketWatch ● Jan. 21, 2026
He said chaining swings had become a trope used by people who don't understand island culture.
From BBC ● Nov. 16, 2024
“They were chaining the steps in behind us,” Seals said, “so we didn’t have a way out, really.”
From Los Angeles Times ● May 6, 2024
By winter he was back in the woods with Charlie McDonald, cutting cottonwoods, chaining them to the draft horses, and skidding them out of the woods in snow and sleet.
From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
