chain
noun uk/tʃeɪn/ us/tʃeɪn/
(CONNECTED THINGS)
B2 [ C ]一连串，一系列（的事物）
a set of connected or related things
She has built up a chain of 180 bookshops across the country. 她在全国各地开了180家连锁书店。
His resignation was followed by a remarkable chain of events. 在他辞职之后，发生了一系列引人注目的事件。
- More examples
- The supermarket chain announced that it was cutting the cost of all its fresh and frozen meat.
- Jonson has run the gamut of hotel work, from porter to owner of a large chain of hotels.
- The Rockies are a mountain chain in the western USA.
- As part of the centenary celebrations a chain of beacons was lit across the region.
- They are not only the world's biggest fast-food chain, but also the industry's trendsetter.
(RINGS)
A2 [ C or U ]链条，链子;锁链;项链
(a length of) rings usually made of metal that are connected together and used for fastening, pulling, supporting, or limiting freedom, or as jewellery
The gates were locked with a padlock and a heavy steel chain. 大门被一把挂锁和一根沉重的钢链锁着。
Put the chain on the door if you are alone in the house. 你要是一个人在家就把链子钩在门上。
Mary was wearing a beautiful silver chain around her neck. 玛丽脖子上戴着一条漂亮的银项链。
in chains 戴着锁链；用链条拴着
tied with chains
The hostages were kept in chains for 23 hours a day. 人质们一天里有23小时戴着镣铐。
[ plural ]枷锁，束缚，桎梏
a fact or situation that limits a person's freedom
At last the country has freed itself from the chains of the authoritarian regime. 这个国家最终从独裁政权的束缚中解放了出来。
(HOUSE SALE)
[ C ] UK售屋链（指卖家无法售出房屋，原因是买家尚未售出自己的房屋）
a situation in which someone selling a house cannot complete the sale because the person who wants to buy it needs to sell their house first
Some sellers refuse to exchange contracts with buyers who are in a chain. 有些卖家拒绝和售屋链里的买家成交。
chain
verb [ T usually + adv/prep ] uk/tʃeɪn/ us/tʃeɪn/
用链条锁住，拴住；束缚
to fasten someone or something using a chain
It's so cruel to keep a pony chained up like that all the time. 把一匹小马驹一直那样拴着真是太残忍了。
They chained themselves to lampposts in protest at the judge's decision. 为了抗议法官的判决，他们把自己拴在了灯柱上。
figurative I don't want a job where I'm chained to a desk for eight hours a day. 我不想要一份一天8小时都被拴在办公桌前的工作。