watch chain

American  

noun

1. a chain, frequently of gold or silver, attached to a pocket watch, serving as an ornament and, when passed through a buttonhole in the vest, as a guard against loss or theft of the watch.

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watch chain British  

noun

1. a chain used for fastening a pocket watch to the clothing See also fob 1

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Etymology

Origin of watch chain

First recorded in 1730–40

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

watch chain

It seems that the pandemic helped turbocharge the market, said Steven Kaiser, the president and chief executive of Kennedy USA, a watch chain based in Australia.

From New York Times ● Mar. 24, 2022

An imposing-looking man with a shock of gray hair who wore three-piece suits crossed by a watch chain, he was not about to let anyone outflank him in enthusiasm for deportations.

From The New Yorker ● Nov. 4, 2019

The sale at Boldon Auction Galleries in South Tyneside also included a plaster cast of his face and hands, and a silver watch chain he wore at work.

From BBC ● Jun. 5, 2019

I wore a three piece suit with a bow tie and a watch chain.

From Slate ● Mar. 2, 2018

I slipped my watch chain through my waistcoat buttonhole and straightened the fob, a Romanian silver leu whose details were worn to shadows.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros