chapter — English Dictionary

chapter
Pronunciations (4)
  • /ˈt͡ʃæptə(r)/
    Pronunciation notes
    • Received-Pronunciation
  • /ˈt͡ʃæptɚ/
    Pronunciation notes
    • US
  • ˈt͡ʃæptə
    Pronunciation notes
    • GB
  • ˈt͡ʃæptɚ
    Pronunciation notes
    • US

Noun

  1. One of the main sections into which a published work is divided, especially a book.

    Examples

    Detective novel writers try to keep up the suspense until the last chapter.

    More examples (1)

    At her invitation he outlined for her the succeeding chapters with terse military accuracy ; and what she liked best and best understood was avoidance of that false modesty which condescends, turning technicality into pabulum.

    The story that unfolds through 70 chapters featuring intense tactical battles is full of plot twists and turns.

  2. One of the main sections into which a published work is divided, especially a book. A section of a work, a collection of works, or fragments of works, often manuscripts or transcriptions, created by scholars or advocates, not the original authors, to aid in finding portions of the texts.

    Examples
    More examples (1)

    CHAPTER - One of the principal divisions of a book, and, in reference to the Bible, one of the larger sections into which its books are divided. This division, as well as that consisting of verses, was introduced to facilitate reference, and not to indicate any natural or accurate division of the subjects treated in the books.

    At least thirty-two of the first forty-seven decretal chapters were received by English ecclesiastics,

    il conclut: « No pope, no collection but the masters who served the one and commented on the other ultimately determined the content of this decretal chapter».

    More examples (4)

    But unlike a similar annotation, it has not been turned into a chapter title because the annotation “de quodam hermita” (Of a certain hermit) immediately preceded it. If a scribe had also turned Liberauit Dominus hermitam into a chapter title, he would have created a chapter that consisted of a single sentence, which even for a rather dull scribe would seem unacceptable. […] While scribe A wrote the body of the text of the De nugis curialium, scribe X contributed the rubricated chapter headings.

    While rubrics do not appear in paper manuscripts, eight paper manuscripts contain chapter titles, which serve the same function as the medieval rubrics.

    Characteristics: parchment; 92 fols.; 260 × 180 mm.; 32 lines; Italy; ca. 1430; two hands: humanistic rotunda with some Gothic features; marginal notes by first hand and names by a second hand; space left for initials; rubric inscriptions; superscript variants by first hand; chapters marked in margin; horizontal catchwords; quaternions.

    From canon law, he cited Gratian's Decretum, Gregory's Decretales, the Sexto and Clementines Decretales, and the Extravagantes, and specifically referred to “the rules for understanding the Law” in a decretal chapter on Propterea.

  3. Certain ecclesiastical bodies (under canon law) An assembly of monks, prebendaries and/or other clergymen connected with a cathedral, conventual or collegiate church, or of a diocese, usually presided over by the dean.

  4. Certain ecclesiastical bodies (under canon law) A community of canons or canonesses.

  5. Certain ecclesiastical bodies (under canon law) A bishop's council.

  6. A section of a social body. An administrative division of an organization, usually local to a specific area.

  7. A section of a social body. An organized branch of some society or fraternity, such as the Freemasons.

    Examples
    More examples (1)

    If the By-Law which admits honorary members is silent upon their rights, they may perhaps be determined by a consideration of which of these classes was intended by the Chapter in admitting them

  8. A meeting of a chapter of certain organized societies or orders.

  9. A chapter house

  10. A sequence (of events), especially when presumed related and likely to continue.

    Examples
    More examples (1)

    1866, Wilkie Collins, Armadale, Book the Last, Chapter I, "You know that Mr. Armadale is alive," pursued the doctor, "and you know that he is coming back to England. Why do you continue to wear your widow's dress?" ¶ She answered him without an instant's hesitation, steadily going on with her work. ¶ "Because I am of a sanguine disposition, like you. I mean to trust to the chapter of accidents to the very last. Mr. Armadale may die yet, on his way home."

    […]she determined to go on slowly towards Castra Regis, and trust to the chapter of accidents to pick up the trail again.

    More examples (1)

    A chapter of locomotive history was closed on Sunday, April 13, when the last Atlantic tender locomotive to remain in service on British Railways, No. 32424, Beachy Head, ended its working life of more than 46 years.

    With the entry into service of the '777s', a new chapter opens in the long history of Merseyside's electric suburban railwsys.

  11. A location or compartment.

    Usage
    • Obsolete
    Examples

    In his bosom! In what chapter of his bosom?

  12. A prescribed reading at one of the canonical hours.

    Synonyms

Verb

  1. To divide into chapters.

  2. To put into a chapter.

  3. To use administrative procedure to remove someone.

    Usage
    • with "out"
    Examples
    More examples (1)

    If you're a single parent [soldier] and you can't find someone to take care of your children, they will chapter you out [administrative elimination from the service]. And yet if you use someone not certified, they get mad.

    "He also wanted me to give you a message. He said that if you don't get your shit ready for this deployment, then he will chapter you out of his freakin' army."

  4. To take to task.

    Usage
    • Transitive

Noun

  1. a subdivision of a written work; usually numbered and titled

    Broader terms
    Examples

    he read a chapter every night before falling asleep

  2. any distinct period in history or in a person's life

    Broader terms
    Examples

    the industrial revolution opened a new chapter in British history

    the divorce was an ugly chapter in their relationship

  3. a local branch of some fraternity or association

    Examples

    he joined the Atlanta chapter

  4. an ecclesiastical assembly of the monks in a monastery or even of the canons of a church

    Broader terms
  5. a series of related events forming an episode

    Broader terms
    Examples

    a chapter of disasters

Word forms
chapterschapiterchapitrechapiturechaptrechapyterchapytrechaptirechapterschapteringchapteredchaptered

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