Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CHICK'LING, or CHICK'LING-VETCH, n.

A vetch or pea, of the genus Lathyrus, used in Germany for food, but inferior to other kinds. – Miller.

CHICK'LING, n.

A small chick or chicken.

CHICK'-PEA, n. [L. cicer; G. kicher; Sp. chicharo.]

The popular name of a species of the genus Cicer; a native of Spain, where it is used in olios. It is smaller than the common pea.

CHICK'-WEED, n.

The popular name of a species of Stellaria. The common chick-weed, with white blossoms, affords a remarkable instance of the sleep of plants; for, at night, the leaves approach in pairs; and inclose the tender rudiments of the young shoots. The leaves are cooling and nutritive, and are deemed excellent food for persons of a consumptive habit. They are deemed useful also for swelled breasts. – Encyc. Wiseman.

CHIDE, n.

Murmur; gentle noise. – Thomson.

CHIDE, v.i.

1. To scold; to clamor to find fault; to contend in words of anger; sometimes followed by with. The people did chide with Moses. – Ex. xvii.
2. To quarrel. – Shak.
3. To make a rough, clamorous, roaring noise; as, the chiding flood. – Shak.

CHIDE, v.t. [pret. chid, (chode is obs.) pp. chid, chidden. Sax. cidan, to chide, to scold; W. cozi, to chide, to press, to straighten; Ch. קטט, to scold, to brawl, to fight. Qu. W. cad, a battle. Literally, to scold; to clamor; to utter noisy words; that is, to drive. Hence,]

1. To scold at; to reprove; to utter words in anger, or by way of disapprobation; to rebuke; as, to chide one for his faults.
2. To blame; to reproach; as, to chide folly or negligence. To chide from or chide away, is to drive away by scolding or reproof.

CHID'ER, n.

One who chides, clamors, reproves, or rebukes.

CHID'ER-ESS, n.

A female who chides. [Not used.] – Chaucer.

CHID'ING, n.

A scolding or clamoring; rebuke; reproof.

CHID'ING, ppr.

Scolding; clamoring; rebuking; making a harsh or continued noise.

CHID'ING-LY, adv.

In a scolding or reproving manner.

CHIEF, a. [Fr. chef, the head, that is, the top or highest point; Norm. chief; Sp. xefe; Ir. ceap; It. capo. It is evidently from the same root as the L. caput, Gr. κεφαλη, and Eng. cape, but through the Celtic, probably from shooting, extending.]

1. Highest in office or rank; principal; as, a chief priest; the chief butler. – Gen. xl. 9. Among the chief rulers, many believed on him. – John xii.
2. Principal or most eminent, in any quality or action; most distinguished; having most influence; commanding most respect; taking the lead; most valuable; most important; a word of extensive use; as, a country chief in arms; agriculture is the chief employment of men. The hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass. – Ezra ix.
3. First in affection; most dear and familiar. A whisperer separateth chief friends. – Prov. xvi.

CHIEF, adv.

Chiefly.

CHIEF, n.

1. A commander; particularly a military commander; the person who heads an army; equivalent to the modern terms, commander or general in chief, captain general, or generalissimo. – 1 Ch. xi.
2. The principal person of a tribe, family, or congregation, &c. – Num. iii. Job xxix. Matth xx.
3. In chief, in English law, in capite. To hold land in chief, is to hold it directly from the king by honorable personal services. – Blackstone.
4. In heraldry, chief signifies the head or upper part of the escutcheon, from side to side; representing a man's head. In chief, imports something borne in this part. – Encyc.
5. In Spenser, it seems to signify something like achievement, a mark of distinction; as, chaplets wrought with a chief. – Johnson.
6. This word is often used in the singular number to express a plurality. I took the chief of your tribes, wise men and known, and made them heads over you. – Deut. i. 15. These were the chief of the officers, that were over Solomon's work. – 1 Kings ix. In these phrases, chief may have been primarily an adjective, that is, chief men, chief persons.
7. The principal part; the most or largest part, of one thing or of many; as, the chief of the debt remains unpaid. The people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief the things which should have been utterly destroyed. – 1 Sam. xv. He smote the chief of their strength. – Ps. lxviii.

CHIEF'AGE, or CHE'VAGE, n.

A tribute by the head. [Obs.] – Chambers.

CHIEF'DOM, n.

Sovereignty. – Spenser.

CHIEF'ESS, n.

A female chief.

CHIEF-JUS'TICE-SHIP, n.

The office of chief justice. – Story.

CHIEF'LESS, a.

Without a chief or leader. – Pope.

CHIEF'LY, adv.

1. Principally; eminently; in the first place; as, it chiefly concerns us to obey the divine precepts.
2. For the most part. In the parts of the kingdom where the estates of the dissenters chiefly lay. – Swift.

CHIEF'RIE, n.

A small rent paid to the lord paramount. – Spenser's Ireland.

CHIEF'TAIN, n. [from chief, Norm. cheventeins, formed like captain, capitaine.]

A captain, leader, or commander; a chief; the head of a troop, army, or clan. It is most commonly used in the latter sense. The chieftains of the Highland clans in Scotland, were the principal noblemen and gentlemen. – Encyc.

CHIEF'TAIN-RY, or CHIEF'TAIN-SHIP, n.

Headship; captaincy; the government over a clan. – Johnson. Smollett.

CHIEV'ANCE, n. [Norm. chivisance. See Chevisance.]

An unlawful bargain; traffick in which money is extorted. [Obs.] – Bacon.