Chamber, chām′bėr, n. an apartment: the place where an assembly meets: an assembly or body of men met for some purpose, as a chamber of commerce: a hall of justice: a compartment: a cavity: the back end of the bore of a gun.—v.t. to put in a chamber: to confine.—v.i. to be wanton.—ns. Cham′ber-coun′cil (Shak.), a private or secret council; Cham′ber-coun′sel, -coun′sellor, a counsel who gives his advice privately, but does not plead in court.—adj. Cham′bered.—ns. Cham′berer, a man of intrigue: (Shak.) a gallant; Cham′ber-fell′ow, one occupying the same chamber.—n.pl. Cham′ber-hang′ings (Shak.), the hangings or tapestry of a chamber.—ns. Cham′bering (B.), lewd behaviour; Cham′ber-lye (Shak.), urine; Cham′ber-maid, a female servant who has the care of bedrooms; Cham′ber-pot, a necessary bedroom vessel—often merely Cham′ber; Cham′ber-prac′tice, the business of a chamber-counsellor (q.v.). [Fr. chambre—L. camera—Gr. kamara, a vault, a room.]
Chamberlain, chām′bėr-lān, or -lin, n. an officer appointed by a king or nobleman, or by a corporation, to perform domestic and ceremonial duties.—n. Cham′berlainship.—Lord Chamberlain, an officer of high standing in the royal household, having control over all the officers and servants 'above stairs,' except those of the bedchamber, over the establishment attached to the Chapel Royal, the physicians, surgeons, and apothecaries of the household; Lord Great Chamberlain, a hereditary officer who has the government of the palace of Westminster, and upon solemn occasions the keys of Westminster Hall and of the Court of Requests are delivered to him. [O. Fr. chambrelenc; Old Ger. chamerling—L. camera, a chamber, and affix -ling or -lenc = Eng. -ling in hireling.]
Chambertin, shang′bert-ang, n. a famous red Burgundy from the vineyard of that name near Dijon, in France.
Chameleon, ka-mēl′yun, n. a small lizard famous for changing its colour: (fig.) an inconstant person.—adjs. Chamel′eonic, Chamel′eon-like. [L. chamæleon—Gr. chamaileōn—chamai (= L. humi), on the ground, dwarf, and leōn, a lion.]
Chamelot, kam′e-lot, n. (Spens.). Camlet.
Chamfer, cham′fėr, n. a bevel or slope made by paring off the edge of anything originally right-angled, either in wood or stone work: a groove, channel, or furrow.—v.t. to cut or grind off bevel-wise, as a corner: to channel or make furrows upon; to flute, as a column.—adj. Cham′fered, furrowed, grooved, wrinkled. [Fr. chanfrein—O. Fr. chanfraindre, which acc. to Dr Murray may be from chant fraindre—L. cantum frangĕre, to break the edge or side.]
Chamfrain, cham′fren, n. a piece of leather or plate of steel to protect the face of a horse in battle.—Also Cham′fron, Chaf′fron. [Fr. chanfrein; origin unknown.]
Chamlet, kam′let, n. Same as Camlet.
Chamois, sha′moi, sham′i, or sham′waw, n. a goat-like species or genus of antelope inhabiting the Alps and other high mountains of southern and central Europe: a soft kind of leather originally made from its skin. [Fr.,—Teut.; cf. mod. Ger. gemse, a chamois.]
Chamomile. See Camomile.