Chank
(||Chank") n. [Skr. çankha. See Conch.] (Zoöl.) The East Indian name for the large
spiral shell of several species of sea conch much used in making bangles, esp. Turbinella pyrum. Called
also chank shell.
Channel
(Chan"nel) n. [OE. chanel, canel, OF. chanel, F. chenel, fr. L. canalis. See Canal.]
1. The hollow bed where a stream of water runs or may run.
2. The deeper part of a river, harbor, strait, etc., where the main current flows, or which affords the best
and safest passage for vessels.
3. (Geog.) A strait, or narrow sea, between two portions of lands; as, the British Channel.
4. That through which anything passes; means of passing, conveying, or transmitting; as, the news was
conveyed to us by different channels.
The veins are converging channels.
Dalton.
At best, he is but a channel to convey to the National assembly such matter as may import that body to
know.
Burke.
5. A gutter; a groove, as in a fluted column.
6. pl. [Cf. Chain wales.] (Naut.) Flat ledges of heavy plank bolted edgewise to the outside of a vessel,
to increase the spread of the shrouds and carry them clear of the bulwarks.
Channel bar, Channel iron (Arch.), an iron bar or beam having a section resembling a flat gutter or
channel. — Channel bill (Zoöl.), a very large Australian cuckoo (Scythrops Novæhollandiæ. — Channel
goose. (Zoöl.) See Gannet.
Channel
(Chan"nel), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Channeled or Channelled; p. pr. & vb. n. Channeling, or
Channelling.]
1. To form a channel in; to cut or wear a channel or channels in; to groove.
No more shall trenching war channel her fields.
Shak.
2. To course through or over, as in a channel. Cowper.
Channeling
(Chan"nel*ing), n.
1. The act or process of forming a channel or channels.
2. A channel or a system of channels; a groove.
Chanson
(Chan"son), n. [F., fr. L. cantion song. See Cantion, Canzone.] A song. Shak.
Chansonnette
(||Chan`son*nette") n.; pl. Chansonnettes [F., dim. of chanson.] A little song.
These pretty little chansonnettes that he sung.
Black.
Chant
(Chant) v. t. [imp. & p. p. Chanted; p. pr. & vb. n. Chanting.] [F. chanter, fr. L. cantare,
intens. of canere to sing. Cf. Cant affected speaking, and see Hen.]
1. To utter with a melodious voice; to sing.
The cheerful birds . . . do chant sweet music.
Spenser.
