[Hindī chilam.]
The part of the hookah containing the tobacco and charcoal balls; also applied loosely to the entire hookah, the act of smoking, and the ‘fill’ of tobacco.
1781. J. Lindsay, in Lives Lindsays, III. (Y.). Dressing a hubble-bubble, per week at 3 chillums a day.
1828. J. B. Fraser, Kuzzilbash, I. ii. (Y.). Every sound was hushed but the occasional bubbling of my hookah, which had just been furnished with another chillum.
1839. Thackeray, Major Gahagan, i. It was the bitterest chillum I ever smoked.
