chain
verb/tʃeɪn/
/tʃeɪn/
[often passive]Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they chain | /tʃeɪn/ /tʃeɪn/ |
| he / she / it chains | /tʃeɪnz/ /tʃeɪnz/ |
| past simple chained | /tʃeɪnd/ /tʃeɪnd/ |
| past participle chained | /tʃeɪnd/ /tʃeɪnd/ |
| -ing form chaining | /ˈtʃeɪnɪŋ/ /ˈtʃeɪnɪŋ/ |
- to fasten something with a chain; to fasten somebody/something to another person or thing with a chain, so that they do not escape or get stolen
- chain somebody/something The doors were always locked and chained.
- They maintained that the convicts working on the roads were never chained.
- He was beaten in his cell while in handcuffs and with his legs chained.
- chain somebody/something up The dog was chained up for the night.
- They took the prisoner out to the yard and chained him up.
- chain somebody/something to somebody/something She chained her bicycle to the gate.
- Four activists chained themselves to construction equipment.
- (figurative) I've been chained to my desk all week (= because there was so much work).
- chain somebody/something together The detainees were chained together in groups of two or three.
- With their wrists chained together they were led out to the waiting vehicles.
Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French chaine, chaeine, from Latin catena ‘a chain’.Want to learn more?
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chain