From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishchainchain1 /tʃeɪn/ ●●● S3 W2 noun 1 
joined rings [countable, uncountable]D a series of metal rings which are joined together in a line and used for fastening things, supporting weights, decoration etc → link She had a gold chain around her neck. a length of heavy chain the mayor’s chain of office (=a decoration worn by some British officials at ceremonies)pull the chain British English (=flush the toilet)a bicycle chain (=that makes the wheels turn), jewellery2 connected events [countable]SERIES a connected series of events or actions, especially which lead to a final result the chain of events that led to World War I The salesmen are just one link in the chain (=part of a process) of distribution. a rather complicated chain of reasoning → chain of command, food chain3 shops/hotels [countable]BBC a number of shops, hotels, cinemas etc owned or managed by the same company or personchain of a chain of restaurantshotel/restaurant/retail etc chain several major UK supermarket chains → chain store4 connected line [countable]SGLINE people or things which are connected or next to each other forming a linemountain/island chain the Andean mountain chainchain of atoms/molecules etc technical a chain of amino acids They formed a human chain (=a line of people who pass things from one person to the next) to move the equipment. daisy chains (=flowers tied together)5 prisonersPRISONER [countable usually plural]SCJ metal chains fastened to the legs and arms of a prisoner, to prevent them from escapingin chains He was led away in chains.ball and chain (=a chain attached to someone’s ankle at one end with a heavy metal ball at the other)6 buying a house [countable usually singular] British EnglishBUY a number of people buying houses, where each person must complete the sale of their own house before they can buy the next person’s houseCOLLOCATIONS – Meaning 3: a number of shops, hotels, cinemas etc owned or managed by the same company or persontypes of chain a big/major/large chainIt is one of Europe’s biggest clothing chains.a hotel chainHilton is an international hotel chain.a supermarket chainMany people buy all their food at one of the major supermarket chains.a retail chain (=one whose business is buying and selling goods)Large retail chains usually want to expand and build more stores.a department store/video store/food store etc chainMorgan was the owner of a computer store chain.a restaurant chainthe Pizza Hut restaurant chaina grocery chainThese are two of Florida’s largest grocery chains.a fast-food chainthe fast-food chain, Burger Kinga national/nationwide chainHe was head of a national chain of grocery stores.phrasesbe part of a chainThe hotel is part of the MacDonald chain. COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 4: people or things which are connected or next to each other forming a linetypes of chaina mountain chainThe town of Besançon lies at the end of the Jura mountain chain.an island chainthe island chain from Asia to Australasiaa human chain (=a large number of people who form a line, a circle etc to do something)Riot police formed human chains to block demonstrators.a chain of atoms/molecules etc technical:Most fabrics are made of long chains of molecules.verbsform a chainThey formed a human chain passing buckets of water to the fire.
joined rings [countable, uncountable]D a series of metal rings which are joined together in a line and used for fastening things, supporting weights, decoration etc → link She had a gold chain around her neck. a length of heavy chain the mayor’s chain of office (=a decoration worn by some British officials at ceremonies)pull the chain British English (=flush the toilet)a bicycle chain (=that makes the wheels turn), jewellery2 connected events [countable]SERIES a connected series of events or actions, especially which lead to a final result the chain of events that led to World War I The salesmen are just one link in the chain (=part of a process) of distribution. a rather complicated chain of reasoning → chain of command, food chain3 shops/hotels [countable]BBC a number of shops, hotels, cinemas etc owned or managed by the same company or personchain of a chain of restaurantshotel/restaurant/retail etc chain several major UK supermarket chains → chain store4 connected line [countable]SGLINE people or things which are connected or next to each other forming a linemountain/island chain the Andean mountain chainchain of atoms/molecules etc technical a chain of amino acids They formed a human chain (=a line of people who pass things from one person to the next) to move the equipment. daisy chains (=flowers tied together)5 prisonersPRISONER [countable usually plural]SCJ metal chains fastened to the legs and arms of a prisoner, to prevent them from escapingin chains He was led away in chains.ball and chain (=a chain attached to someone’s ankle at one end with a heavy metal ball at the other)6 buying a house [countable usually singular] British EnglishBUY a number of people buying houses, where each person must complete the sale of their own house before they can buy the next person’s houseCOLLOCATIONS – Meaning 3: a number of shops, hotels, cinemas etc owned or managed by the same company or persontypes of chain a big/major/large chainIt is one of Europe’s biggest clothing chains.a hotel chainHilton is an international hotel chain.a supermarket chainMany people buy all their food at one of the major supermarket chains.a retail chain (=one whose business is buying and selling goods)Large retail chains usually want to expand and build more stores.a department store/video store/food store etc chainMorgan was the owner of a computer store chain.a restaurant chainthe Pizza Hut restaurant chaina grocery chainThese are two of Florida’s largest grocery chains.a fast-food chainthe fast-food chain, Burger Kinga national/nationwide chainHe was head of a national chain of grocery stores.phrasesbe part of a chainThe hotel is part of the MacDonald chain. COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 4: people or things which are connected or next to each other forming a linetypes of chaina mountain chainThe town of Besançon lies at the end of the Jura mountain chain.an island chainthe island chain from Asia to Australasiaa human chain (=a large number of people who form a line, a circle etc to do something)Riot police formed human chains to block demonstrators.a chain of atoms/molecules etc technical:Most fabrics are made of long chains of molecules.verbsform a chainThey formed a human chain passing buckets of water to the fire. Examples from the Corpus
chain• He came to the defense of his younger brother, Von, by swinging a chain at his attacker.• The gates were held shut with a chain and a padlock.• The coffee chain has rolled out the concept in a number of markets across the country.• A mugger tore Sylvia's gold chain from her neck.• It's the largest mountain chain in North America.• Lewis's, a provincial chain of department stores which employed 3,400 people, is in the hands of the receivers.• Hundreds of smaller chains and stores went out of business, many hurt by price wars waged by appliance chains.• For this reason any purchaser will wish to see that all documents in the chain of title are properly stamped.• He opened the door, allowing it to reach only the length of the chain.• Hanging from hooks on the wall were sets of wire-pulling devices, complete with chain winch and gripper.chain of office• The Mayor was struggling to free his chain of office from the overhanging branch of a fragile alder.chain of events• And so began a chain of events, of misunderstandings, laughter, anger, and bitter recrimination.• Paris awarded it to Aphrodite, beginning a chain of events that led to the Trojan War9.• What the defendant has done is to set in motion a chain of events.• A chain of events was established.• Both the anorexic and the mystic are impervious to this simple chain of events.• The modern history of the Catholic Church has been immensely affected by that chain of events.• A professional photographer will capture the chain of events, from the bride leaving her home to the cutting of the cake.• The 6 month trial focused on the chain of events leading to the murder.• The chain of events which had begun before I ever met her was slowly reaching its end.chain of• a chain of health clubsmountain/island chain• The edge of the overriding plate is crumpled and uplifted to form a mountain chain parallel to the trench.• During that time continents, oceans, and mountain chains have moved horizontally and vertically through large distances.• They are crude and narrow compared to the Dwarf mines of the other mountain chains and prone to collapsing unexpectedly.• Sibley lives in a remote corner of a remote mountain chain in the wilds of Arizona.• Throughout the world, researchers found similar island chains, isolated yet volcanically active.• Some crossed the island chain through Sumatra, Java and as far east as Bali.• The Ryukyus should be retained as an integral part of the island chain.• The whole mountain chain originated from this cleft as lava surged up and spilled down on both sides.in chains• Engrams, particularly in the prenatal area, are in chains.• Better to starve, if necessary, in a plastic suburban mall than go back to South Chicago in chains.• In this, of course, he was helped by Jacob Marley, his dead partner doomed to roam through eternity in chains.• Words as well as engrams exist in chains.• She is being held in chains in the city jail and the possibility of bail has already been ruled out.• Those who survived the battle Lie in the hulks in chains.• I had seen the march of feudal armies, the victors returning in triumph, captive princes led past in chains.• He is swathed in chains, from which hang trophies - namely the heads of his victims, hanging by their hair.chainchain2 verb 1 FASTEN/DO UP[transitive] to fasten someone or something to something else using a chain, especially in order to prevent them from escaping or being stolenchain somebody/something to something a bicycle chained to the fence Four activists chained themselves to the gates.chain somebody/something up The elephants were chained up by their legs.chain somebody/something together Their hands and feet were chained together.2 → be chained to something→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
chain• Like that to chain her up and keep all the food away.• Have these people been in a time-machine or chained in dimly-lit rooms in Beirut?• The gates were chained shut.• Fettered and chained, with a mat of coarse brown hair, with sly, utterly mad eyes, but Human.chain somebody/something to something• I chained my bicycle to a tree.From Longman Business Dictionarychainchain /tʃeɪn/ noun [countable]1a number of shops, hotels, cinemas etc owned or managed by the same company or personBritain’s leading supermarket chainchain ofa chain of travel agents.2a series of people or organizations involved in different stages of the same activity → distribution chain → value chainOrigin chain1 (1200-1300) Old French chaeine, from Latin catena 