| ball and chain |
a heavy ball attached by a chain to a prisoner's ankle to prevent escape. |
| chain gang |
a group of convicts chained together to prevent their escape from an outdoor work site. |
| chain letter |
a letter with a message or money-making proposal that instructs the recipient to copy the letter and send it to others. |
| chain mail |
flexible armor made of metal links or scalelike plates joined together. |
| chain of events |
a series of related events that occur in a sequence after some particular triggering event. |
| chain reaction |
any sequence of events in which the result of one event becomes the cause of the one that follows. [3 definitions] |
| chain saw |
a portable power saw that cuts by means of teeth set into a revolving chain. |
| chain stitch |
a crocheting and embroidery stitch that resembles links in a chain. |
| chain store |
one of a group of retail stores that are under the same ownership or central management system and that follow a uniform marketing policy. |
| chain-link fence |
a fence made of interwoven links of galvanized steel. |
| chain-react |
to be part of or involved in a chain reaction. |
| chain-smoke |
to smoke (cigars or cigarettes) one after the other. |
| closed chain |
a group of chemically linked atoms that can be represented in models and formulas as a ring or circle. |
| food chain |
a succession of living organisms in which each serves as food for the next. |
| key chain |
a chain on which keys are strung, or a key ring attached by a short chain or clip to an ornament. |
| open chain |
in chemistry, a linear series of covalent atoms not joined at the ends into a cycle, such as an aliphatic compound. |
| supply chain |
the entire sequence of steps that are involved in manufacturing goods and bringing them to the consumer. |
| tire chain |
one of a set of chains designed to fit over a vehicle's tires to increase traction on snow-covered or icy roads. |