chair

American  

[chair] / tʃɛər /

noun

1. a seat, especially for one person, usually having four legs for support and a rest for the back and often having rests for the arms.

2. something that serves as a chair or supports like a chair.

   The two men clasped hands to make a chair for their injured companion.

3. a seat of office or authority.

4. a position of authority, as of a judge, professor, etc.

5. the person occupying a seat of office, especially the chairperson of a meeting.

   The speaker addressed the chair.

6. (in an orchestra) the position of a player, assigned by rank; desk.

   first clarinet chair.

7. Informal. the chair, electric chair.

8. chairlift.

9. sedan chair.

10. (in reinforced-concrete construction) a device for maintaining the position of reinforcing rods or strands during the pouring operation.

11. a glassmaker's bench having extended arms on which a blowpipe is rolled in shaping glass.

12. British Railroads. a metal block for supporting a rail and securing it to a crosstie or the like.

---

verb (used with object)

1. to place or seat in a chair.

2. to install in office.

3. to preside over; act as chairperson of.

   to chair a committee.

4. British. to carry (a hero or victor) aloft in triumph.

verb (used without object)

1. to preside over a meeting, committee, etc.

idioms

1. take the chair,

   1. to begin or open a meeting.

   2. to preside at a meeting; act as chairperson.

2. get the chair, to be sentenced to die in the electric chair.

chair British  

/ tʃɛə /

noun

1. a seat with a back on which one person sits, typically having four legs and often having arms

2. an official position of authority

   a chair on the board of directors

3. the person chairing a debate or meeting

   the speaker addressed the chair

4. a professorship

   the chair of German

5. railways an iron or steel cradle bolted to a sleeper in which the rail sits and is locked in position

6. short for sedan chair

7. chairing a debate or meeting

8. to preside as chairman for a meeting, etc

9. an informal name for electric chair

---

verb

1. to preside over (a meeting)

2. to carry aloft in a sitting position after a triumph or great achievement

3. to provide with a chair of office

4. to install in a chair

chair More Idioms  

1. see musical chairs.

---

Gender

Is it chair, chairman, chairwoman, or chairperson? See chairperson.

Other Word Forms

• chairless adjective
• unchair verb (used with object)

Etymology

Origin of chair

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English chaiere, from Old French, from Latin cathedra; cathedra

Example Sentences

Lahyani got down from his chair as ball boys looked to prevent it toppling over.

From BBC

Tan Dhesi, Labour MP and chair of the defence committee, suggested the UK's response had been "embarrassing".

From BBC

New Yorkers, in the meantime, might have fallen out of their chairs while watching the same scene.

From Salon

The pair were arrested after a viral video showed the chair plunging to the ground from a height at Westfield in Stratford, as part of an internet prank in March last year.

From BBC

“The one overarching objective for him was to remove sanctions to improve the economy of the Islamic Republic,” said Enrique Mora, the Spanish diplomat who chaired talks on reviving the nuclear deal from 2021.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• armchair
• bench
• recliner