chamber

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English[edit]

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Alternative forms[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From French chambre, from Latin camera, from Ancient Greek καμάρα (kamara, “vaulted chamber”).

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

chamber (plural chambers)

  1. A room, especially one used primarily for sleeping; bedroom, sleeping room.
    • 1845, Edgar Allen Poe, The Raven,
      Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
      Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
      While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
      As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
  2. An enclosed space.
    the chamber of a canal lock; the chamber of a furnace; the chamber of the eye
    A test chamber is typically a closable case where devices under test are placed.
  3. (firearms) The portion of the weapon that holds the ammunition round immediately prior to (and during initiation of) its discharge.
    Dianne loaded a cartridge into the chamber of the rifle, then prepared to take aim at the target.
  4. One of the legislative bodies in a government where multiple such bodies exist, or a single such body in comparison to others.
    The resolution, which speedily passed the Senate, was unable to gain a majority in the lower chamber.
  5. A law office in a building housing several such offices, typically the office of a barrister in the United Kingdom or in the imagination of an African scammer.
  6. (dated, in the plural) Apartments in a lodging house.
    • Thackeray
      a bachelor's life in chambers
  7. (obsolete) A chamber pot.
  8. (historical) A short piece of ordnance or cannon which stood on its breech without any carriage, formerly used chiefly for celebrations and theatrical cannonades.

Translations[edit]

legislative body
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Derived terms[edit]

Related terms[edit]

Verb[edit]

chamber (third-person singular simple present chambers, present participle chambering, simple past and past participle chambered)

  1. To enclose in a room.
    She had chambered herself in her room, and wouldn't come out.
  2. To reside in or occupy a chamber or chambers.
    • 1893, Publications of the Scottish History Society (volume 14, page 64)
      I chambered with Alexander Preston.
  3. To place in a chamber, as a round of ammunition.
    The hunter fired at the geese and missed, then shrugged his shoulders and chambered another cartridge.
  4. To create or modify a gun to be a specific caliber.
    The rifle was originally chambered for 9MM, but had since been modified for a larger, wildcat caliber.
  5. In martial arts, to prepare an offensive, defensive, or counteroffensive action by drawing a limb or weapon to a position where it may be charged with kinetic energy.
    Bob chambered his fist for a blow, but Sheila struck first.
  6. (obsolete) To be lascivious.

Anagrams[edit]

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