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.
The supply chain risk designation, formally made in March, had canceled Anthropic's military contracts and barred other Pentagon contractors from using its technology.
From Barron's ● Aug. 28, 2026
Taiwanese officials aim to develop a military drone supply chain that can flourish without relying on Chinese components.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
Last year at the John Glenn Columbus International Airport in Ohio, Canadian firm Appetronix installed a 24/7 robotic pizza unit for the Donatos pizza chain.
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026
Still, same-store sales at the shoe chain likely fell 3.6% during the second quarter, based on adjustments factoring in the timing of the acquisition.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 27, 2026
They only knew that they needed to get water into the reactor core to prevent the chain reaction from spiraling out of control.
From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland
Olivia Rodrigo says the star-studded, all-women lineup for her Daisy Chain Fields music festival is “truly insane and full of my heroes and friends.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026
Ruthie Friedlander is the founder of At Large Agency and co-founder of The Chain, a peer support community for women in the media, fashion and entertainment industries with eating disorders.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
It’s among the most misguided things I’ve seen in a movie all year, not to mention the most aesthetically repellent, like “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” left to play on a motion-smoothing TV.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
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
The rest of us called working there the Chain Gang.
From "Seedfolks" by Paul Fleischman
Her employer has financial interests in multiple high street pizza chains including Papa Johns and Domino's.
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026
“Better to do that by allowing them to access banking and supply chains through our country than not,” he said of the Emirates’ thinking on Iran.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
But by the 2000s, more people were shopping online or at rival sportswear chains or department stores.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 27, 2026
And both countries have deeply integrated supply chains.
From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026
“Percy and I will sneak around the two Titans and cut the chains from behind.”
From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan
Searching for "secret information" that could help it cheat the evaluation, the OpenAI system "chained together multiple attack vectors, including using stolen credentials".
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
"You were not chained to a door or something, right? You were not locked up in a basement. The chains were less obvious, but they were there."
From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026
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
The woman said, “Boy! It’s just my hands what’s free so’s I can tend my chile. Them men’s arms is chained and they caint reach they mouth. You’s gunn have to help ’em.”
From "Elijah of Buxton" by Christopher Paul Curtis
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
Ben Williamson, who works for PeTA, says that the new box shows that people today no longer accept “the chaining and caging of wild animals.”
From NewsForKids.net ● Apr. 23, 2024
More than 200 pro-Palestinian protesters blocked off traffic on the San Francisco Bay Bridge, with some people chaining themselves together across lanes and shutting down a vital Bay Area route during the busy morning commute.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 16, 2023
“We’re going to reenact the story of Our Lady of Chains. We’re taking her over to the honey house and chaining her in there for the night.”
From "The Secret Life of Bees" by Sue Monk Kidd
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.
