chair

Noun · Verb
Synonyms: professorshippresidentchairmanchairwomanchairpersonelectric chairdeath chairhot seatmoderatelead

WordNet 3.0

Noun (5)

  1. a seat for one person, with a support for the back“he put his coat over the back of the chair and sat down”
  2. the position of professor“he was awarded an endowed chair in economics”Synonyms: professorship
  3. the officer who presides at the meetings of an organization“address your remarks to the chairperson”Synonyms: presidentchairmanchairwomanchairperson
  4. an instrument of execution by electrocution; resembles an ordinary seat for one person“the murderer was sentenced to die in the chair”Synonyms: electric chairdeath chairhot seat
  5. a particular seat in an orchestra“he is second chair violin”

Verb (2)

  1. act or preside as chair, as of an academic department in a university“She chaired the department for many years”Synonyms: chairman
  2. preside over“John moderated the discussion”Synonyms: moderatelead
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Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Chair \Chair\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Chaired; p. pr. & vb. n. Chairing.]

1.To place in a chair. [1913 Webster]

2.To carry publicly in a chair in triumph. [Eng.] [1913 Webster]

3.To function as chairperson of (a meeting, committee, etc.); as, he chaired the meeting. [PJC]

Chair \Chair\ (ch[^a]r), n. [OE. chaiere, chaere, OF. chaiere, chaere, F. chaire pulpit, fr. L. cathedra chair, armchair, a teacher's or professor's chair, Gr. ? down + ? seat, ? to sit, akin to E. sit. See Sit, and cf. Cathedral, chaise.] [1913 Webster]

1.A movable single seat with a back. [1913 Webster]

2.An official seat, as of a chief magistrate or a judge, but esp. that of a professor; hence, the office itself. [1913 Webster]

The chair of a philosophical school.— Whewell.[1913 Webster]
A chair of philology.— M. Arnold.[1913 Webster]

3.The presiding officer of an assembly; a chairman; as, to address the chair. [1913 Webster]

4.A vehicle for one person; either a sedan borne upon poles, or two-wheeled carriage, drawn by one horse; a gig. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Think what an equipage thou hast in air, And view with scorn two pages and a chair.— Pope.[1913 Webster]

5.An iron block used on railways to support the rails and secure them to the sleepers. [1913 Webster]

Chair days, days of repose and age.

To put into the chair, to elect as president, or as chairman of a meeting. --Macaulay.

To take the chair, to assume the position of president, or of chairman of a meeting. [1913 Webster]

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