Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CHAM, n. [kam.]

The sovereign prince of Tartary. Usually written Khan.

CHA-MADE', n. [Fr. from It. chiamata, a calling; chiamare, to call; L. clamo; Sp. llamada; Port. chamada, from chamar, to call. See Claim.]

In war, the beat of a drum or sound of a trumpet, inviting an enemy to a parley; as for making a proposition for a truce, or for a capitulation. Encyc.

CHAM'BER, n. [Fr. chambre; Arm. campr, cambr; It. camera; Port. Sp. camara; L. camera; Gr. καμαρα, an arched roof, vault or upper gallery, a chamber; D. kamer; G. kammer; Sw. kammare; Dan. kammer; Ch. קמר to arch; Eth. ቀመረ kamare, an arch or vault.]

1. An apartment in an upper story, or in a story above the lower floor of a dwelling house, often used as a lodging room.
2. Any retired room; any private apartment which a person occupies; as, he called on the judge at his chamber. Joseph entered into his chamber and wept. – Gen. xliii.
3. Any retired place. Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death. – Prov. vii.
4. A hollow or cavity; as, the chamber of the eye. – Sharp.
5. A place where an assembly meets, and the assembly itself; as, star-chamber; imperial chamber; chamber of accounts; ecclesiastical chamber; privy chamber; chamber of commerce, &c.
6. In military affairs, the chamber of a mortar is that part of the chase where the powder lies.
7. A powder-chamber, or bomb-chamber, a place under ground for holding powder and bombs, where they may be safe and secured from rains.
8. The chamber of a mine, a place, generally of a cubical form, where the powder is confined.
9. A species of ordnance. Qu. – Camden.
10. The clouds. – Ps. civ.
11. Certain southern constellations, which are hid from us. The chambers of the south. – Job ix. Chamber-council, a private or secret council. – Shak. Chamber-counsel, a counselor who gives his opinion in a private apartment, but does not advocate causes in court.

CHAM'BER, v.i.

1. To reside in or occupy as a chamber.
2. To be wanton; to indulge in lewd or immodest behavior. – Rom. xiii.

CHAM'BER, v.t.

To shut up as in a chamber. – Shak.

CHAM'BER-ER, n.

One who intrigues, or indulges in wantonness. – Shak.

CHAM'BER-FEL-LOW, n.

One who sleeps in the same apartment. – Spectator.

CHAM-BER-HANG'ING, n.

Tapestry or hangings for a chamber.

CHAM'BER-ING, n.

Wanton, lewd, immodest behavior. – Rom. xiii.

CHAM'BER-LAIN, n. [Fr. chambellan; Arm. cambrelan; Sp. camarero; Port. camareiro; It. camerlingo; D. kamerling; Dan. kammer-herre; L. camerarius.]

1. An officer charged with the direction and management of a chamber, or of chambers. The Lord Chamberlain of Great Britain is the sixth officer of the crown. To him belong livery and lodging in the king's court; on coronation day he brings to the king his apparel, his sword, scabbard, &c. He dresses and undresses the king on that day, and waits on him before and after dinner. To him also belongs the care of providing all things in the house of lords, in time of parliament. Under him are the gentleman usher of the black rod, and other officers. The Lord Chamberlain of the household has the oversight of all officers belonging to the king's chambers, except the precinct of the bed-chamber, of the wardrobe, physicians, chaplains, barbers, &c., and administers the oath to all officers above stairs. The chamberlains of the exchequer, of London, of Chester, of North Wales, &c., are receivers of rents and revenues. – Encyc. Johnson.
2. A servant who has the care of the chambers in an inn or hotel.

CHAM'BER-LAIN-SHIP, n.

The office of a chamberlain.

CHAM'BER-LYE, n.

Urine.

CHAM'BER-MAID, n.

A woman who has the care of chambers, making the beds, and cleaning the rooms, or who dresses a lady and waits upon her in her apartment.

CHAM'BER-POT, n.

A vessel used in bed-rooms.

CHAM-BER-PRAC'TICE, n.

The practice of counselors at law, who give their opinions in private, but do not appear in court.

CHAM'BREL, n.

The joint or bending of the upper part of a horse's hind leg. In New England pronounced gambrel, which see.

CHA-ME'LE-ON, n. [L. chamæleon; Gr. χαμαιλεων.]

An animal of the genus Lacerta, or lizard, with a naked body, a tail and four feet. The body is six or seven inches long, and the tail five inches; with this it clings to the branches of trees. The skin is cold to the touch, and contains small grains or eminences, of a bluish gray color, in the shade, but in the light of the sun, all parts of the body become of a grayish brown or tawny color. It is a native of Africa and Asia. – Encyc.

CHA-ME'LE-ON-IZE, v.t.

To change into various colors. – Dict.

CHAM'FER, or CHAM'FRET, n.

A small gutter or furrow cut in wood or other hard material; a slope.

CHAM'FER, v.t. [Corrupted from Fr. echancrer, to hollow, to cut sloping; Arm. chancra; said to be from cancer.]

1. To channel; to cut a furrow, as in a column, or to cut into a sloping form. – Johnson. Bailey. Encyc.
2. To wrinkle. – Shak.

CHAM'FER-ED, pp.

Cut into furrows, or cut sloping.

CHAM'FER-ING, ppr.

Cutting a gutter in; cutting in a slope.

CHAM'ITE, n.

Fossil remains of the Chama, a shell.

CHAM'LET, n.

See CAMLET.

CHAM'OIS, n. [Fr. from It. camozza; Sp. gamuza, from gamo, a buck.]

An animal of the goat kind, whose skin is made into soft leather, called shammy. – Johnson. It is now arranged with the Antelopes. – Cuvier.