Chase, chās, v.t. to pursue: to hunt: to drive away, put to flight.—n. pursuit: a hunting: that which is hunted: ground abounding in game.—n. Chase′port, the porthole at the bow or stern of a vessel, through which the chase-gun is fired.—Beasts of chase, properly the buck, doe, fox, marten, and roe: wild beasts that are hunted generally.—Wild-goose chase, any foolish or profitless pursuit. [O. Fr. chacier, chasser—L. captāre, freq. of capĕre, to take.]
Chase, chās, v.t. to decorate metal-work, whether hammered or punched up, by engraving the exterior.—ns. Chas′er, one who practises chasing; Chas′ing, the art of representing figures in bas-relief by punching them out from behind, and then carving them on the front: the art of cutting the threads of screws. [Short for Enchase.]
Chase, chās, n. a case or frame for holding types: a groove. [Fr. châsse, a shrine, a setting—L. capsa, a chest. See Case.]
Chasericulture, chas-er-i-kul′tūr, n. the combined industries of tea-growing and of silk-production. [A combination of Chinese cha, tea, chasze, the former tea valuers of Canton, and L. sericum, silk.]
Chasm, kazm, n. a yawning or gaping hollow: a gap or opening: a void space.—adjs. Chasmed; Chasm′y. [Gr. chasma, from chain-ein, to gape; cf. Chaos.]
Chasse, shäs, n. a dram or liqueur taken after coffee, to remove the taste.—Also Chasse-café [Fr. chasse-café—chasser, to chase, remove.]
Chassé, shäs′ā, n. a kind of gliding step in dancing.—v.t. to make such a step: (slang) to dismiss. [Fr.]
Chassepot, shas′po, n. the kind of bolt-action breechloading rifle adopted by the French army in 1866. [From Antoine Alphonse Chassepot, the inventor.]
Chasseur, sha-sār′, n. a hunter or huntsman: one of a select body of French light troops, either infantry or cavalry; a domestic dressed in military garb in the houses of the great. [Fr. chasser, to hunt.]
Chaste, chāst, adj. modest; refined; virtuous: pure in taste and style.—adv. Chaste′ly.—ns. Chaste′ness, the quality of being chaste; Chas′tity, sexual purity: virginity: refinement of language: moderation. [O. Fr. chaste—L. castus, pure.]