资料来源 : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Chain \Chain\, n. [F. cha[^i]ne, fr. L. catena. Cf. {Catenate}.]
   1. A series of links or rings, usually of metal, connected,
      or fitted into one another, used for various purposes, as
      of support, of restraint, of ornament, of the exertion and
      transmission of mechanical power, etc.

            [They] put a chain of gold about his neck. --Dan. v.
                                                  29.

   2. That which confines, fetters, or secures, as a chain; a
      bond; as, the chains of habit.

            Driven down To chains of darkness and the undying
            worm.                                 --Milton.

   3. A series of things linked together; or a series of things
      connected and following each other in succession; as, a
      chain of mountains; a chain of events or ideas.

   4. (Surv.) An instrument which consists of links and is used
      in measuring land.

   Note: One commonly in use is Gunter's chain, which consists
         of one hundred links, each link being seven inches and
         ninety-two one hundredths in length; making up the
         total length of rods, or sixty-six, feet; hence, a
         measure of that length; hence, also, a unit for land
         measure equal to four rods square, or one tenth of an
         acre.

   5. pl. (Naut.) Iron links bolted to the side of a vessel to
      bold the dead-eyes connected with the shrouds; also, the
      channels.

   6. (Weaving) The warp threads of a web. --Knight.

   {Chain belt} (Mach.), a belt made of a chain; -- used for
      transmitting power.

   {Chain boat}, a boat fitted up for recovering lost cables,
      anchors, etc.

   {Chain bolt}
      (a) (Naut.) The bolt at the lower end of the chain plate,
          which fastens it to the vessel's side.
      (b) A bolt with a chain attached for drawing it out of
          position.

   {Chain bond}. See {Chain timber}.

   {Chain bridge}, a bridge supported by chain cables; a
      suspension bridge.

   {Chain cable}, a cable made of iron links.

   {Chain coral} (Zo["o]l.), a fossil coral of the genus
      {Halysites}, common in the middle and upper Silurian
      rocks. The tubular corallites are united side by side in
      groups, looking in an end view like links of a chain. When
      perfect, the calicles show twelve septa.

   {Chain coupling}.
      (a) A shackle for uniting lengths of chain, or connecting
          a chain with an object.
      (b) (Railroad) Supplementary coupling together of cars
          with a chain.

   {Chain gang}, a gang of convicts chained together.

   {Chain hook} (Naut.), a hook, used for dragging cables about
      the deck.

   {Chain mail}, flexible, defensive armor of hammered metal
      links wrought into the form of a garment.

   {Chain molding} (Arch.), a form of molding in imitation of a
      chain, used in the Normal style.

   {Chain pier}, a pier suspended by chain.

   {Chain pipe} (Naut.), an opening in the deck, lined with
      iron, through which the cable is passed into the lockers
      or tiers.

   {Chain plate} (Shipbuilding), one of the iron plates or
      bands, on a vessel's side, to which the standing rigging
      is fastened.

   {Chain pulley}, a pulley with depressions in the periphery of
      its wheel, or projections from it, made to fit the links
      of a chain.

   {Chain pumps}. See in the Vocabulary.

   {Chain rule} (Arith.), a theorem for solving numerical
      problems by composition of ratios, or compound proportion,
      by which, when several ratios of equality are given, the
      consequent of each being the same as the antecedent of the
      next, the relation between the first antecedent and the
      last consequent is discovered.

   {Chain shot} (Mil.), two cannon balls united by a shot chain,
      formerly used in naval warfare on account of their
      destructive effect on a ship's rigging.

   {Chain stitch}. See in the Vocabulary.

   {Chain timber}. (Arch.) See {Bond timber}, under {Bond}.

   {Chain wales}. (Naut.) Same as {Channels}.

   {Chain wheel}. See in the Vocabulary.

   {Closed chain}, {Open chain} (Chem.), terms applied to the
      chemical structure of compounds whose rational formul[ae]
      are written respectively in the form of a closed ring (see
      {Benzene nucleus}, under {Benzene}), or in an open
      extended form.

   {Endless chain}, a chain whose ends have been united by a
      link.

Coral \Cor"al\, n. [Of. coral, F, corail, L. corallum, coralium,
   fr. Gr. kora`llion.]
   1. (Zo["o]l.) The hard parts or skeleton of various Anthozoa,
      and of a few Hydrozoa. Similar structures are also formed
      by some Bryozoa.

   Note: The large stony corals forming coral reefs belong to
         various genera of {Madreporaria}, and to the hydroid
         genus, {Millepora}. The red coral, used in jewelry, is
         the stony axis of the stem of a gorgonian ({Corallium
         rubrum}) found chiefly in the Mediterranean. The {fan
         corals}, {plume corals}, and {sea feathers} are species
         of {Gorgoniacea}, in which the axis is horny.
         Organ-pipe coral is formed by the genus {Tubipora}, an
         Alcyonarian, and {black coral} is in part the axis of
         species of the genus {Antipathes}. See {Anthozoa},
         {Madrepora}.

   2. The ovaries of a cooked lobster; -- so called from their
      color.

   3. A piece of coral, usually fitted with small bells and
      other appurtenances, used by children as a plaything.

   {Brain coral}, or {Brain stone coral}. See under {Brain}.

   {Chain coral}. See under {Chain}.

   {Coral animal} (Zo["o]l.), one of the polyps by which corals
      are formed. They are often very erroneously called {coral
      insects}.

   {Coral fish}. See in the Vocabulary.

   {Coral reefs} (Phys. Geog.), reefs, often of great extent,
      made up chiefly of fragments of corals, coral sands, and
      the solid limestone resulting from their consolidation.
      They are classed as {fringing reefs}, when they border the
      land; {barrier reefs}, when separated from the shore by a
      broad belt of water; {atolls}, when they constitute
      separate islands, usually inclosing a lagoon. See {Atoll}.
      

   {Coral root} (Bot.), a genus ({Corallorhiza}) of orchideous
      plants, of a yellowish or brownish red color, parasitic on
      roots of other plants, and having curious jointed or
      knotted roots not unlike some kinds of coral. See Illust.
      under {Coralloid}.

   {Coral snake}. (Zo)
      (a) A small, venomous, Brazilian snake {(Elaps
          corallinus)}, coral-red, with black bands.
      (b) A small, harmless, South American snake ({Tortrix
          scytale}).

   {Coral tree} (Bot.), a tropical, leguminous plant, of several
      species, with showy, scarlet blossoms and coral-red seeds.
      The best known is {Erythrina Corallodendron}.

   {Coral wood}, a hard, red cabinet wood. --McElrath.