chain1 /tʃeɪn/ ●●● S3 W2 noun 1 joined rings 链条 [countableC, uncountableU]D a series of metal rings which are joined together in a line and used for fastening things, supporting weights, decoration etc 链子,链条 → link She had a gold chain around her neck. 她脖子上戴了条金项链。
a length of heavy chain 一段沉重的链条
the mayor’s chain of office (=a decoration worn by some British officials at ceremonies) 市长的链徽
pull the chain British EnglishBrE (=flush the toilet) 冲马桶
a bicycle chain (=that makes the wheels turn) 自行车的链条
, jewellery →4 See picture of 见图 BICYCLE →5 see picture at 见图 bicycle, jewellery, plug 2 connected events 关联的事件 [countableC]SERIES a connected series of events or actions, especially which lead to a final result 一连串,一系列〔事件或行动〕 the chain of events that led to World War I 引发第一次世界大战的一连串事件
The salesmen are just one link in the chain (=part of a process) of distribution. 销售员只是整个经销过程中的一个环节。
a rather complicated chain of reasoning 相当复杂的推理过程
→ chain of command, food chain 3 shops/hotels 商店/酒店 [countableC]BBC a number of shops, hotels, cinemas etc owned or managed by the same company or person 连锁店,连锁集团chain of a chain of restaurants 连锁餐厅
hotel/restaurant/retail etc chain several major UK supermarket chains 英国几家主要的超市连锁店
→ chain store 4 connected line 连接线 [countableC]SGLINE people or things which are connected or next to each other forming a line 连成一行的人[物]mountain/island chain the Andean mountain chain 安第斯山脉
chain of atoms/molecules etc technical a chain of amino acids 氨基酸链
They formed a human chain (=a line of people who pass things from one person to the next) to move the equipment. 他们排成一条长龙来搬运设备。
daisy chains (=flowers tied together) 雏菊花环
5 prisoners 囚犯PRISONER [countableC usually plural]SCJ metal chains fastened to the legs and arms of a prisoner, to prevent them from escaping 〔锁住囚犯四肢的〕镣铐,锁链in chains He was led away in chains. 他戴着镣铐被带走了。
ball and chain (=a chain attached to someone’s ankle at one end with a heavy metal ball at the other) 〔系在犯人脚踝上的用沉重的铁球和铁链做的〕球镣
6. buying a house 购房 [countableC usually singular] British EnglishBrEBUY 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 house 〔一些人先卖旧房再买新房的〕链式购房法,连环购房链 n COLLOCATIONS – 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 chain
a grocery chainThese are two of Florida’s largest grocery chains.
a fast-food chainthe fast-food chain, Burger King
a national/nationwide chainHe was head of a national chain of grocery stores.
phrasesbe part of a chainThe hotel is part of the MacDonald chain.
n 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 Australasia
a 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.