Forms: 4–5 cheyne, chyne, 4–7 chayne, 5 cheyn-yn, 6 cheine, 6–7 chaine, 6– chain. [f. prec. sb. in various senses. French has chaîner only with the meaning ‘to measure with a chain,’ but enchaîner is cited in Littré from the 11th c.; enchain barely appears in late ME.]
1. trans. To bind, fasten, secure, with a chain.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XXI. 287. Barre we þe ȝates. Cheke we and cheyne we.
1593. Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., V. i. 203. The rampant Beare chain’d to the ragged staffe.
1667. Milton, P. L., I. 210. The Arch-fiend lay Chain’d on the burning Lake.
1856. Emerson, Eng. Traits, xii. Wks. (Bohn), II. 90. The books in Merton Library are still chained to the wall.
1882. J. H. Blunt. Ref. Ch. Eng., II. 305. He was chained to the stake.
b. transf. and fig.
138[?]. Wyclif, Serm., Sel. Wks. II. 367. Whanne that riȝtwisnesse is cheyned to God and al his creaturis.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., V. xxvi. (1495), 135. The sholders ben nedefull to bynde and cheyne togyders the bones of the breste.
1591. Shaks., Two Gent., I. i. 3. Wer’t not affection chaines thy tender dayes To the sweet glaunces of thy honour’d Loue.
1795. Southey, Joan of Arc, I. 215. A hair that chains to wretchedness The slave who dares not burst it.
1858. J. Martineau, Stud. Chr., 143. The mind given up to passion, or chained to self … dwells … in the dark and terrible abyss.
1876. Trevelyan, Macaulay, II. ix. 131. Sir Robert Peel was not the first Minister, and perhaps he is not destined to be the last, who has been chained down to office by the passive weight of an immense but discontented majority.
2. To fetter or confine with a chain or chains; to put in chains.
c. 1440. York Myst., XXX.. 212. We charge you þat chorle be wele chyned.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 72. Cheynyn or put yn cheynys, catheno.
1591. Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., II. iii. 39. I will chayne these Legges and Armes of thine.
c. 1850. Arab. Nights (Rtldg.), 499. They chained him, and put handcuffs and fetters on him.
1852. Mrs. Stowe, Uncle Tom’s C., I. x. 152. I should think you ’d be ashamed to spend all your life buying men and women, and chaining them, like cattle!
b. fig. To fetter, confine, bind; to restrain.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. I. 192. Chastite wiþ-outen charite worth cheyned in helle.
c. 1393. Chaucer, Mariage, 14. But thilke doted foole … hath levere Y-cheyned [v.r. ychyned, ychayned] be, than out of prison crepe.
c. 1440. York Myst., XXXII. 278. The payment chenys þe with-all, The thar no nodir comenaunte craue.
1593. Shaks., Lucr., 900. Or free that soul which wretchedness hath chain’d.
1634. Milton, Comus, 660. If I but wave this wand, Your nerves are all chained up in alabaster.
1870. L. Morris, Epic Hades, I. (1883), 53. Horror chained My parting footsteps.
1879. Stainer, Music of Bible, 167. Until such a system came into existence music was chained up within the narrowest limits.
3. To obstruct or close with a chain.
1603. Knolles, Hist. Turks, 589 (J.). The Admirall … seeing the mouth of the hauen chained … durst not attempt … to enter.
c. 1630. Risdon, Surv. Devon, § 192 (1811), 203. The haven is … chained over when need requireth.
1674. in Picton, L’pool Munic. Rec. (1883), I. 286. His new intended street … shall not be chained or obstructed against any of the towne.
† 4. To surround like a chain; to embrace. Obs.
1606. Shaks., Ant. & Cl., IV. viii. 14. Oh thou day o’ th’ world, Chaine mine arm’d necke.
5. To measure with a (surveyor’s) chain.
1610. W. Folkingham, Art of Survey, II. v. 55. Extende lines from each station … (chayning the stationall line onely).
6. To secure (a door) with the chain; absol. to ‘put on the chain.’
1839. Dickens, Nich. Nick., lvi. Ralph … chained the door to prevent the possibility of his returning secretly by means of his latch key.
1886. Baring-Gould, Crt. Royal, I. v. 59. ‘Joanna … lock and chain after the gentleman.’
7. Arch. To bind (masonry) with a chain: cf. CHAIN sb. 10.
1842–75. Gwilt, Archit., II. iii. § 18. 962. A large number of steeples would … be found to have been well chained with timber or with metal.
