Chamade
(Cha*made) n. [F. chamade, fr. Pg. chamada, fr. chamar to call, fr. L. clamare.] (Mil.)
A signal made for a parley by beat of a drum.
They beat the chamade, and sent us carte blanche.
Addison.
Chamal
(||Cha"mal) n. [Native name.] (Zoöl.) The Angora goat. See Angora goat, under Angora.
Chamber
(Cham"ber) n. [F. chambre, fr. L. camera vault, arched roof, in LL. chamber, fr. Gr. anything
with a vaulted roof or arched covering; cf. Skr. kmar to be crooked. Cf. Camber, Camera, Comrade.]
1. A retired room, esp. an upper room used for sleeping; a bedroom; as, the house had four chambers.
2. pl. Apartments in a lodging house. "A bachelor's life in chambers." Thackeray.
3. A hall, as where a king gives audience, or a deliberative body or assembly meets; as, presence chamber; senate
chamber.
4. A legislative or judicial body; an assembly; a society or association; as, the Chamber of Deputies; the
Chamber of Commerce.
5. A compartment or cell; an inclosed space or cavity; as, the chamber of a canal lock; the chamber of a
furnace; the chamber of the eye.
6. pl. (Law.) A room or rooms where a lawyer transacts business; a room or rooms where a judge
transacts such official business as may be done out of court.
7. A chamber pot. [Colloq.]
8. (Mil.) (a) That part of the bore of a piece of ordnance which holds the charge, esp. when of different
diameter from the rest of the bore; — formerly, in guns, made smaller than the bore, but now larger, esp.
in breech-loading guns. (b) A cavity in a mine, usually of a cubical form, to contain the powder. (c)
A short piece of ordnance or cannon, which stood on its breech, without any carriage, formerly used
chiefly for rejoicings and theatrical cannonades.
Air chamber.
See Air chamber, in the Vocabulary. — Chamber of commerce, a board or association
to protect the interests of commerce, chosen from among the merchants and traders of a city. — Chamber
council, a secret council. Shak. — Chamber counsel or counselor, a counselor who gives his
opinion in private, or at his chambers, but does not advocate causes in court. — Chamber fellow, a
chamber companion; a roommate; a chum. — Chamber hangings, tapestry or hangings for a chamber.
— Chamber lye, urine. Shak. — Chamber music, vocal or instrumental music adapted to performance
in a chamber or small apartment or audience room, instead of a theater, concert hall, or church. —
Chamber practice (Law.), the practice of counselors at law, who give their opinions in private, but
do not appear in court. — To sit at chambers, to do business in chambers, as a judge.
Chamber
(Cham"ber) v. i. [imp. & p. p. Chambered ; p. pr. & vb. n. Chambering.]
1. To reside in or occupy a chamber or chambers.
2. To be lascivious. [Obs.]
Chamber
(Cham"ber), v. t.
1. To shut up, as in a chamber. Shak.
2. To furnish with a chamber; as, to chamber a gun.