Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of 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.
\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.]
\Cham"ber\, v. t. 1. To shut up, as in a chamber. --Shak. 2. To furnish with a chamber; as, to chamber a gun.