*cham*

n. [ Cf. F. antichambre. ] 1. A chamber or apartment before the chief apartment and leading into it, in which persons wait for audience; an outer chamber. See Lobby. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A space viewed as the outer chamber or the entrance to an interior part. [ 1913 Webster ]

The mouth, the antechamber to the digestive canal. Todd & Bowman. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Obs. ] See Antechamber. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. G. erzkämmerer. See Arch-, pref. ] A chief chamberlain; -- an officer of the old German empire, whose office was similar to that of the great chamberlain in England. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From Roger Ascham, who was a great lover of archery. ] A sort of cupboard, or case, to contain bows and other implements of archery. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ F. béchamel, named from its inventor, Louis de Béchamel. ] (Cookery) A rich, white sauce, prepared with butter and cream. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A chamber for a bed; an apartment form sleeping in. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Lords of the bedchamber, eight officers of the royal household, all of noble families, who wait in turn a week each. [ Eng. ] --
Ladies of the bedchamber, eight ladies, all titled, holding a similar official position in the royal household, during the reign of a queen. [ Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The nuptial apartment. Matt. ix. 15. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ See Chap. ] To chew. [ Obs. or Prov. Eng. ] Sir T. More. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Khan. ] The sovereign prince of Tartary; -- now usually written khan. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. chamade, fr. Pg. chamada, fr. chamar to call, fr. L. clamare. ] (Mil.) A signal made for a parley by beat of a drum. [ 1913 Webster ]

They beat the chamade, and sent us carte blanche. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a genus of small late-flowering trees or subshrubs having yellow to red flowers and leathery or woody pods; -- often used especially for those formerly included in genus Cytisus.
Syn. -- genus Chamaecytisus. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. a genus consisting of only one species, the leatherleaf.
Syn. -- genus Chamaedaphne. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. the type genus of the Chamaeleontidae.
Syn. -- genus Chamaeleo, genus Chamaeleon. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. (Astronomy) a small constellation in the southern skies between Hydrus and Musca.
Syn. -- Chameleon. [ PJC ]

n. [ L. Chamaeleon, Gr. chamaile`wn, lit., “ground lion;” chamai` on the ground + le`wn lion. ] (Zool.) a lizard of Africa and Madagascar able to change skin color and having a projectile tongue.
Syn. -- chameleon. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. a natural family comprising the Old World chameleons; in some classifications Rhiptoglossa is considered a superfamily of Sauria.
Syn. -- family Chamaeleontidae, family Chamaeleonidae, Rhiptoglossa, family Rhiptoglossa. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. a small genus of plants sometimes included in genus Anthemis; chamomile.
Syn. -- genus Chamaemelum. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Gr. chamai` on the ground + -phyte. ] a perennial plant that sets its dormant vegetative buds just at or above the surface of the ground. [ PJC ]

‖n. [ Native name. ] (Zool.) The Angora goat. See Angora goat, under Angora. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. chambre, fr. L. camera vault, arched roof, in LL. chamber, fr. Gr. &unr_; anything with a vaulted roof or arched covering; cf. Skr. kmar to be crooked. Cf. Camber, Camera, Comrade. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. A retired room, esp. an upper room used for sleeping; a bedroom; as, the house had four chambers. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. pl. Apartments in a lodging house. “A bachelor's life in chambers.” Thackeray. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A hall, as where a king gives audience, or a deliberative body or assembly meets; as, presence chamber; senate chamber. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A legislative or judicial body; an assembly; a society or association; as, the Chamber of Deputies; the Chamber of Commerce. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. A compartment or cell; an inclosed space or cavity; as, the chamber of a canal lock; the chamber of a furnace; the chamber of the eye. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. pl. (Law.) A room or rooms where a lawyer transacts business; a room or rooms where a judge transacts such official business as may be done out of court. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. A chamber pot. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

8. (Mil.) (a) That part of the bore of a piece of ordnance which holds the charge, esp. when of different diameter from the rest of the bore; -- formerly, in guns, made smaller than the bore, but now larger, esp. in breech-loading guns. (b) A cavity in a mine, usually of a cubical form, to contain the powder. (c) A short piece of ordnance or cannon, which stood on its breech, without any carriage, formerly used chiefly for rejoicings and theatrical cannonades. [ 1913 Webster ]

Air chamber. See Air chamber, in the Vocabulary. --
Chamber of commerce, a board or association to protect the interests of commerce, chosen from among the merchants and traders of a city. --
Chamber council, a secret council. Shak. --
Chamber counsel or
Chamber counselor, a counselor who gives his opinion in private, or at his chambers, but does not advocate causes in court. --
Chamber fellow, a chamber companion; a roommate; a chum. --
Chamber hangings, tapestry or hangings for a chamber. --
Chamber lye, urine. Shak. --
Chamber music, vocal or instrumental music adapted to performance in a chamber or small apartment or audience room, instead of a theater, concert hall, or church. --
Chamber practice (Law.), the practice of counselors at law, who give their opinions in private, but do not appear in court. --
To sit at chambers, to do business in chambers, as a judge. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Chambered p. pr. & vb. n. Chambering. ] 1. To reside in or occupy a chamber or chambers. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To be lascivious. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To shut up, as in a chamber. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To furnish with a chamber; as, to chamber a gun. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having a chamber or chambers; as, a chambered shell; a chambered gun. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who attends in a chamber; a chambermaid. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A civilian; a carpetmonger. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Lewdness. [ Obs. ] Rom. xiii. 13. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. chamberlain, chambrelencF. chambellon, OHG. chamerling, chamarlinc, G. kämmerling, kammer chamber (fr. L. camera) + -ling. See Chamber, and -ling. ] [ Formerly written chamberlin. ] 1. An officer or servant who has charge of a chamber or chambers. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An upper servant of an inn. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

3. An officer having the direction and management of the private chambers of a nobleman or monarch; hence, in Europe, one of the high officers of a court. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A treasurer or receiver of public money; as, the chamberlain of London, of North Wales, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

The lord chamberlain of England, an officer of the crown, who waits upon the sovereign on the day of coronation, and provides requisites for the palace of Westminster, and for the House of Lords during the session of Parliament. Under him are the gentleman of the black rod and other officers. His office is distinct from that of the lord chamberlain of the Household, whose functions relate to the royal housekeeping. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Office of a chamberlain. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A maidservant who has the care of chambers, making the beds, sweeping, cleaning the rooms, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A lady's maid. [ Obs. ] Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. A red wine from Chambertin near Dijon, in Burgundy. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ F. ] (Arch.) An ornamental bordering or framelike decoration around the sides and top of a door, window, or fireplace. The top piece is called the traverse and the side pieces the ascendants. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ From Cambrai, France. Cf. Cambric. ] A gingham woven in plain colors with linen finish. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. Same as Gambrel. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ Native Brazilian name. ] (Zool.) A kind of spider monkey (Ateles chameck), having the thumbs rudimentary and without a nail. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. Chamaeleon, Gr. chamaile`wn, lit., “ground lion;” chamai` on the ground + le`wn lion. See Humble, and Lion. ] (Zool.) 1. A lizardlike reptile of the genus Chamæleo, of several species, found in Africa, Asia, and Europe. The skin is covered with fine granulations; it has eyes which can move separately, the tail is prehensile, and the body is much compressed laterally, giving it a high back. It is remarkable for its ability to change the color of its skin to blend with its surroundings. [ Also sometimes spelled chamaeleon. ] [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

☞ Its color changes more or less with the color of the objects about it, or with its temper when disturbed. In a cool, dark place it is nearly white, or grayish; on admitting the light, it changes to brown, bottle-green, or blood red, of various shades, and more or less mottled in arrangment. The American chameleons belong to Anolis and allied genera of the family Iguanidæ. They are more slender in form than the true chameleons, but have the same power of changing their colors. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. a person who changes opinions, ideas, or behavior to suit the prevailing social climate; an opportunist. [ PJC ]

Chameleon mineral (Chem.), the compound called potassium permanganate, a dark violet, crystalline substance, KMnO4, which in formation passes through a peculiar succession of color from green to blue, purple, red, etc. See Potassium permanganate, under Potassium. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To change into various colors. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Chamfron. ] The surface formed by cutting away the arris, or angle, formed by two faces of a piece of timber, stone, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Chamfered ; p. pr. & vb. n. Chamfering. [ 1913 Webster ]

1. (Carp.) To cut a furrow in, as in a column; to groove; to channel; to flute. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To make a chamfer on. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Chamfron. ] 1. (Carp.) A small gutter; a furrow; a groove. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A chamfer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. chanfrein. ] (Anc. Armor) The frontlet, or head armor, of a horse. [ Written also champfrain and chamfrain. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ Amer. Sp., fr. Sp. chamiza a kind of wild cane. ] 1. (Bot.) A California rosaceous shrub (Adenostoma fasciculatum) which often forms an impenetrable chaparral. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. A chaparral formed by dense growths of this shrub. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. See Camlet. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. chamois, prob. fr. OG. gamz, G. gemse. ] 1. (Zool.) A small species of antelope (Rupicapra tragus), living on the loftiest mountain ridges of Europe, as the Alps, Pyrenees, etc. It possesses remarkable agility, and is a favorite object of chase. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A soft leather made from the skin of the chamois, or from sheepskin, etc.; -- called also chamois leather, and chammy or shammy leather. See Shammy. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. [ LL. camonilla, corrupted fr. Gr. chamai`mhlon, lit. earth apple, being so called from the smell of its flower. See Humble, and Melon. ] (Bot.) A genus of herbs (Anthemis) of the Composite family. The common camomile, Anthemis nobilis, is used as a popular remedy. Its flowers have a strong and fragrant and a bitter, aromatic taste. They are tonic, febrifugal, and in large doses emetic, and the volatile oil is carminative. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) See Camomile. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a greenish gray or black silicate of iron and aluminum. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

v. i. To bite or chew impatiently. [ 1913 Webster ]

They began . . . irefully to champ upon the bit. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Champed p. pr. & vb. n. Champing. ] [ Prob, of Scand. orgin; cf. dial. Sw. kämsa to chew with difficulty, champ; but cf. also OF. champier, champeyer, champoyer, to graze in fields, fr. F. champ field, fr. L. campus. Cf. Camp. ] 1. To bite with repeated action of the teeth so as to be heard. [ 1913 Webster ]

Foamed and champed the golden bit. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To bite into small pieces; to crunch. Steele. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. See Champaign. ] A light wine, of several kinds, originally made in the province of Champagne, in France. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Champagne properly includes several kinds not only of sparkling but of still wines; but in America the term is usually restricted to wines which effervesce. [ 1913 Webster ]