1. Metal shackles; for hands or legs
   "The prisoner was led into the courtroom in chains";
   - irons

1. A series of linked or connected things or events
   "the chain of command";
   - concatenation
    
2. A series of (usually metal) rings or links fitted into one another to make a flexible ligament
   "He secured his bicycle with a sturdy chain and padlock"
    
3. A necklace made by stringing objects together
   "a chain of beads";
   - string, strand
    
4. Anything that acts as a restraint
   "The dog strained against the chain that kept it in the yard"
    
5. A linked or connected series of objects
   "a chain of daisies"
    
6. (business) a number of similar establishments (stores, restaurants, banks, hotels or theatres) under one ownership
   "The fast-food chain expanded to include locations in 50 countries"
    
7. (chemistry) a series of linked atoms (generally in an organic molecule)
   "The chemical chain of the polymer determined its flexibility";
   - chemical chain
    
8. A series of hills or mountains
   "the valley was between two chains of hills"; "The Andes form a long mountain chain along the western coast of South America";
   - range, mountain range, range of mountains, mountain chain, chain of mountains
    
9. A unit of length
   "The surveyor used a chain to measure the property boundaries"

1. Fasten or secure with chains
   "Chain the chairs together"
    
2. Connect or arrange into a chain by linking
   "They chained the bicycles together to prevent theft"

Type of: arrange, bond, building block, business, business concern, business organisation [Brit], business organization, concern, constraint, fasten, fix, formation, geological formation, hamper, ligament, linear measure, linear unit, necklace, restraint, secure, series, set up, shackle, trammel, unit

Antonym: unchain

Part of: bicycle, bike, chain printer, chain tongs, cycle, molecule

Encyclopedia: Chains