chain

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++

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chain1 /tʃeɪn/ ●●● S3 W2 noun  1  joined rings 链条 [countable, uncountable]D a series of metal rings which are joined together in a line and used for fastening things, supporting weights, decoration etc 链子，链条 → link She had a gold chain around her neck. 她脖子上戴了条金项链。 a length of heavy chain 一段沉重的链条 the mayor’s chain of office (=a decoration worn by some British officials at ceremonies) 市长的链徽pull the chain British English (=flush the toilet) 冲马桶a bicycle chain (=that makes the wheels turn) 自行车的链条, jewellery →4  See picture of 见图 BICYCLE →5 see picture at 见图 bicycle, jewellery, plug2  connected events 关联的事件 [countable]SERIES a connected series of events or actions, especially which lead to a final result 一连串，一系列〔事件或行动〕 the chain of events that led to World War I 引发第一次世界大战的一连串事件 The salesmen are just one link in the chain (=part of a process) of distribution. 销售员只是整个经销过程中的一个环节。 a rather complicated chain of reasoning 相当复杂的推理过程 → chain of command, food chain3  shops/hotels 商店/酒店 [countable]BBC a number of shops, hotels, cinemas etc owned or managed by the same company or person 连锁店，连锁集团chain of a chain of restaurants 连锁餐厅hotel/restaurant/retail etc chain several major UK supermarket chains 英国几家主要的超市连锁店 → chain store4  connected line 连接线 [countable]SGLINE people or things which are connected or next to each other forming a line 连成一行的人[物]mountain/island chain the Andean mountain chain 安第斯山脉chain of atoms/molecules etc technical a chain of amino acids 氨基酸链 They formed a human chain (=a line of people who pass things from one person to the next) to move the equipment. 他们排成一条长龙来搬运设备。 daisy chains (=flowers tied together) 雏菊花环5  prisoners 囚犯PRISONER [countable usually plural]SCJ metal chains fastened to the legs and arms of a prisoner, to prevent them from escaping 〔锁住囚犯四肢的〕镣铐，锁链in chains He was led away in chains. 他戴着镣铐被带走了。ball and chain (=a chain attached to someone’s ankle at one end with a heavy metal ball at the other) 〔系在犯人脚踝上的用沉重的铁球和铁链做的〕球镣6. buying a house 购房 [countable usually singular] British EnglishBUY a number of people buying houses, where each person must complete the sale of their own house before they can buy the next person’s house 〔一些人先卖旧房再买新房的〕链式购房法，连环购房链n COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 3: a number of shops, hotels, cinemas etc owned or managed by the same company or persontypes of chain a big/major/large chainIt is one of Europe’s biggest clothing chains.a hotel chainHilton is an international hotel chain.a supermarket chainMany people buy all their food at one of the major supermarket chains.a retail chain (=one whose business is buying and selling goods)Large retail chains usually want to expand and build more stores.a department store/video store/food store etc chainMorgan was the owner of a computer store chain.a restaurant chainthe Pizza Hut restaurant chaina grocery chainThese are two of Florida’s largest grocery chains.a fast-food chainthe fast-food chain, Burger Kinga national/nationwide chainHe was head of a national chain of grocery stores.phrasesbe part of a chainThe hotel is part of the MacDonald chain.n COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 4: people or things which are connected or next to each other forming a linetypes of chaina mountain chainThe town of Besançon lies at the end of the Jura mountain chain.an island chainthe island chain from Asia to Australasiaa human chain (=a large number of people who form a line, a circle etc to do something)Riot police formed human chains to block demonstrators.a chain of atoms/molecules etc technical:Most fabrics are made of long chains of molecules.verbsform a chainThey formed a human chain passing buckets of water to the fire.

Examples from the Corpus

chain• He came to the defense of his younger brother, Von, by swinging a chain at his attacker.• The gates were held shut with a chain and a padlock.• The coffee chain has rolled out the concept in a number of markets across the country.• A mugger tore Sylvia's gold chain from her neck.• It's the largest mountain chain in North America.• Lewis's, a provincial chain of department stores which employed 3,400 people, is in the hands of the receivers.• Hundreds of smaller chains and stores went out of business, many hurt by price wars waged by appliance chains.• For this reason any purchaser will wish to see that all documents in the chain of title are properly stamped.• He opened the door, allowing it to reach only the length of the chain.• Hanging from hooks on the wall were sets of wire-pulling devices, complete with chain winch and gripper.chain of office• The Mayor was struggling to free his chain of office from the overhanging branch of a fragile alder.chain of events• And so began a chain of events, of misunderstandings, laughter, anger, and bitter recrimination.• Paris awarded it to Aphrodite, beginning a chain of events that led to the Trojan War9.• What the defendant has done is to set in motion a chain of events.• A chain of events was established.• Both the anorexic and the mystic are impervious to this simple chain of events.• The modern history of the Catholic Church has been immensely affected by that chain of events.• A professional photographer will capture the chain of events, from the bride leaving her home to the cutting of the cake.• The 6 month trial focused on the chain of events leading to the murder.• The chain of events which had begun before I ever met her was slowly reaching its end.chain of• a chain of health clubsmountain/island chain• The edge of the overriding plate is crumpled and uplifted to form a mountain chain parallel to the trench.• During that time continents, oceans, and mountain chains have moved horizontally and vertically through large distances.• They are crude and narrow compared to the Dwarf mines of the other mountain chains and prone to collapsing unexpectedly.• Sibley lives in a remote corner of a remote mountain chain in the wilds of Arizona.• Throughout the world, researchers found similar island chains, isolated yet volcanically active.• Some crossed the island chain through Sumatra, Java and as far east as Bali.• The Ryukyus should be retained as an integral part of the island chain.• The whole mountain chain originated from this cleft as lava surged up and spilled down on both sides.in chains• Engrams, particularly in the prenatal area, are in chains.• Better to starve, if necessary, in a plastic suburban mall than go back to South Chicago in chains.• In this, of course, he was helped by Jacob Marley, his dead partner doomed to roam through eternity in chains.• Words as well as engrams exist in chains.• She is being held in chains in the city jail and the possibility of bail has already been ruled out.• Those who survived the battle Lie in the hulks in chains.• I had seen the march of feudal armies, the victors returning in triumph, captive princes led past in chains.• He is swathed in chains, from which hang trophies - namely the heads of his victims, hanging by their hair.chain2 verb  1  FASTEN/DO UP[transitive] to fasten someone or something to something else using a chain, especially in order to prevent them from escaping or being stolen 〔尤指为防逃跑或被盗而用链条〕拴住，束缚chain somebody/something to something a bicycle chained to the fence 锁在栅栏上的自行车 Four activists chained themselves to the gates. 四名激进主义分子把自己拴在大门上。chain somebody/something up The elephants were chained up by their legs. 大象的腿上拴了铁链。chain somebody/something together Their hands and feet were chained together. 他们的手脚被拴在一起。2  be chained to something KEEP somebody IN A PLACEto have your freedom restricted because of something you must do 受到某事的束缚 She felt chained to the kitchen sink. 她觉得就像被拴在灶台上一样。 I don’t want a job where I’m chained to a desk all day. 我不想要一份整天被拴在办公桌前的工作。→ See Verb table

Examples from the Corpus

chain• Like that to chain her up and keep all the food away.• Have these people been in a time-machine or chained in dimly-lit rooms in Beirut?• The gates were chained shut.• Fettered and chained, with a mat of coarse brown hair, with sly, utterly mad eyes, but Human.chain somebody/something to something• I chained my bicycle to a tree.From Longman Business Dictionarychainchain /tʃeɪn/ noun [countable]1a number of shops, hotels, cinemas etc owned or managed by the same company or personBritain’s leading supermarket chainchain ofa chain of travel agents.2a series of people or organizations involved in different stages of the same activity → distribution chain → value chainOrigin chain1 (1200-1300) Old French chaeine, from Latin catena

chain1 noun →n COLLOCATIONS1 →n COLLOCATIONS2chain2 verbLDOCE OnlineChinese  

Corpus a Business joined of metal which together series rings are in

chain

I

chain¹ S3 W2 /tʃeɪn/ noun
1.  JOINED RINGS  [uncountable and countable] a series of metal rings which are joined together in a line and used for fastening things, supporting weights, decoration etc ⇨ link:
    She had a gold chain around her neck.
    a length of heavy chain
    the Mayor’s chain of office (=a decoration worn by some British officials at ceremonies)
    pull the chain British English (=flush the toilet)
    a bicycle chain (=that makes the wheels turn) ⇨ jewellery
2.  CONNECTED EVENTS  [countable] a connected series of events or actions, especially which lead to a final result:
    the chain of events that led to World War I
    The salesmen are just one link in the chain (=part of a process) of distribution.
    a rather complicated chain of reasoning ⇨ chain of command, food chain
3.  SHOPS/HOTELS  [countable] a number of shops, hotels, cinemas etc owned or managed by the same company or person
    chain of
    a chain of restaurants
    hotel/restaurant/retail etc chain
    several major UK supermarket chains ⇨ chain store
4.  CONNECTED LINE  [countable] people or things which are connected or next to each other forming a line
    mountain/island chain
    the Andean mountain chain
    chain of atoms/molecules etc technical:
    a chain of amino acids
    They formed a human chain (=a line of people who pass things from one person to the next) to move the equipment.
    daisy chains (=flowers tied together)
5.  PRISONERS  [countable usually plural] metal chains fastened to the legs and arms of a prisoner, to prevent them from escaping
    in chains
    He was led away in chains.
    ball and chain (=a chain attached to someone’s ankle at one end with a heavy metal ball at the other)
6.  BUYING A HOUSE  [countable usually singular] British English a number of people buying houses, where each person must complete the sale of their own house before they can buy the next person’s house
     

COLLOCATIONS

(for Meaning 3)

■ types of chain
   ▪ a big/major/large chain It is one of Europe’s biggest clothing chains.
   ▪ a hotel chain Hilton is an international hotel chain.
   ▪ a supermarket chain Many people buy all their food at one of the major supermarket chains.
   ▪ a retail chain (=one whose business is buying and selling goods) Large retail chains usually want to expand and build more stores.
   ▪ a department store/video store/food store etc chain Morgan was the owner of a computer store chain.
   ▪ a restaurant chain the Pizza Hut restaurant chain
   ▪ a grocery chain These are two of Florida’s largest grocery chains.
   ▪ a fast-food chain the fast-food chain, Burger King
   ▪ a national/nationwide chain He was head of a national chain of grocery stores.
■ phrases
   ▪ be part of a chain The hotel is part of the MacDonald chain.
     

COLLOCATIONS

(for Meaning 4)

■ types of chain
   ▪ a mountain chain The town of Besançon lies at the end of the Jura mountain chain.
   ▪ an island chain the island chain from Asia to Australasia
   ▪ a human chain (=a large number of people who form a line, a circle etc to do something) Riot police formed human chains to block demonstrators.
   ▪ a chain of atoms/molecules etc technical: Most fabrics are made of long chains of molecules.
■ verbs
   ▪ form a chain They formed a human chain passing buckets of water to the fire.
     

THESAURUS

   ▪ mountain a very high hill: the highest mountain in Austria
   ▪ hill an area of land that is higher than the land around it, which is like a mountain but smaller and usually has a rounded top: We went for a walk in the hills. | The house is surrounded by woods, farmland and gentle hills.
   ▪ Mount (also Mt written abbreviation) used in the names of mountains. Don’t say ‘Fuji Mountain’ – say ‘Mount Fuji’: Mount Everest
   ▪ cliff the steep side of an area of land, often next to the sea: the white cliffs of Dover
   ▪ precipice especially literary a very steep and dangerous cliff: They were standing on the edge of a precipice.
   ▪ crag a high steep rock or mountain: An eagle sailed over the high crags.
   ▪ ridge a long narrow area of high ground, especially at the top of a mountain: I could see a group of climbers high up on a ridge.
   ▪ knoll a small round hill: a grassy knoll
   ▪ volcano a mountain with a large hole at the top, through which lava (=hot liquid rock) is sometimes forced out: the eruption of a volcano
   ▪ summit the very highest point of a mountain: the summit of Mt Everest
   ▪ peak especially literary the top of a mountain: the snow-covered peaks of the Himalayas | a distant peak
   ▪ range/chain a group of mountains or hills arranged in a line: the mountain range that is part of the border between Norway and Sweden
   ▪ foothills a group of smaller hills below a range of high mountains: the Sierra foothills

II

chain² verb
1. [transitive] to fasten someone or something to something else using a chain, especially in order to prevent them from escaping or being stolen
    chain somebody/something to something
    a bicycle chained to the fence
    Four activists chained themselves to the gates.
    chain somebody/something up
    The elephants were chained up by their legs.
    chain somebody/something together
    Their hands and feet were chained together.
2. be chained to something to have your freedom restricted because of something you must do:
    She felt chained to the kitchen sink.
    I don’t want a job where I’m chained to a desk all day.