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chain

noun · verb

Simple meaning

A series of rings or links fitted into one another to make a flexible ligament.

Pronunciation

Say it like this:

chayn
US device voice
IPA pronunciation (US)

ˈtʃeɪn

This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.

IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.

Word Review

Definition

Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.

noun

  1. A series of (usually metal) rings or links fitted into one another to make a flexible ligament

  2. A series of interconnected rings or links usually made of metal.

  3. A series of things depending on each other as if linked together

  4. A series of interconnected things.

  5. A series of stores or businesses with the same brand name.

  6. british

    A sequence of linked house purchases, each of which is dependent on the preceding and succeeding purchase (said to be "broken" if a buyer or seller pulls out).

verb

  1. figurative

    To connect as if with a chain, due to dependence, addiction, or other feelings

  2. intransitive

    To link multiple items together.

  3. transitive

    To secure someone with fetters.

  4. figurative

    To obligate.

  5. transitive

    To fasten something with a chain.

  6. Connect or arrange into a chain by linking

Word at a Glance

Difficulty
A1 · Beginner (estimated)
Frequency
Common
Typical Use
Varies by meaning

Word Aura™

How this word commonly comes across.

Aura for this meaning

This meaning: A series of (usually metal) rings or links fitted into one another to make a flexible ligament

Used this way, chain is a reasonably familiar word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.

Emotional tone
Neutral
Formality
Neutral
Intensity
Not strongly marked
How common
Moderately common
Connotation
Matter-of-fact
Usage feel
Neutral and straightforward

Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.

More ways to use chain

  • “The chain of command.”noun

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Common Patterns and Combinations

How this word naturally appears with others.

Series / sequence

chain reactionchain store

Other combinations

supply chainfood chainside chainvalue chainpolypeptide chainmountain chain

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Word Family

Related forms, grouped by how they connect.

Inflected forms

Grammatical variations of the same word.

  • chainsnounPlural form

    Metal shackles.

Compound terms

Established multiword terms.

  • chain fernnounCompound term

    A fern of the genus Woodwardia having the sori in chainlike rows.

  • chain gangnounCompound term

    A gang of convicts chained together.

  • chain letternounCompound term

    A letter that is sent successively to several people.

  • chain lightningnounCompound term

    A form of lightning that moves rapidly in a zigzag path with one end divided (fork-like).

  • chain mailnounCompound term

    Flexible armor made of interlinked metal rings.

  • chain of mountainsnounCompound term

    A series of hills or mountains.

Related words

Connected by subject or meaning, not by word formation.

  • chainsawnounRelated term

    Portable power saw.

More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin

Synonyms

Sense: series of (usually metal) rings

concatenationstrandiron

Antonyms

Sense: to connect as if with a chain

unchainRare

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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.