Chamber
Chamber , noun
[French chambre, from Latin camera vault, arched roof, in Late Latin chamber, from Greek {not transcribed} anything with a vaulted roof or arched covering; compare Sanskrit kmar to be crooked. Compare Camber, Camera, Comrade.]
1.
A retired room, esp. an upper room used for sleeping; a bedroom; as, the house had four chambers.
2.
Apartments in a lodging house.
A bachelor's life in chambers.
3.
A hall, as where a king gives audience, or a deliberative body or assembly meets; as, presence chamber; senate chamber.
4.
A legislative or judicial body; an assembly; a society or association; as, the Chamber of Deputies; the Chamber of Commerce.
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.
6.
(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.
7.
A chamber pot. [Colloquial]
8.
(a) (Military) 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)
(Military) A cavity in a mine, usually of a cubical form, to contain the powder.
(c)
(Military) A short piece of ordnance or cannon, which stood on its breech, without any carriage, formerly used chiefly for rejoicings and theatrical cannonades.
Collocations (10)
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. — Shakespeare
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. — Shakespeare
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.
Chamber , intransitive verb
1.
To reside in or occupy a chamber or chambers.
2.
To be lascivious. [Obsolete]
Chamber , transitive verb
1.
To shut up, as in a chamber. — Shakespeare
2.
To furnish with a chamber; as, to chamber a gun.