Etimology
From Middle English chayer, chaire, chaiere, chaere, chayre, chayere, from Old French chaiere, chaere, from Latin cathedra (“seat”), from Ancient Greek καθέδρα (kathédra), from κατά (katá, “down”) + ἕδρα (hédra, “seat”). Displaced native stool and settle, which now have more specialised senses. Doublet of cathedra and chaise.
noun
chair (plural chairs)
An item of furniture used to sit on or in, comprising a seat, legs or wheels, back, and sometimes arm rests, for use by one person. Compare stool, couch, sofa, settee, loveseat and bench.
(often with definite article, also written Chair) Clipping of chairperson.
(music) The seating position of a particular musician in an orchestra.
(rail transport) An iron block used on railways to support the rails and secure them to the sleepers, and similar devices.
(organic chemistry, physical chemistry) One of two possible conformers of cyclohexane rings (the other being boat), shaped roughly like a chair.
(informal, with the) Ellipsis of electric chair (“device used for performing execution”).
(education) A distinguished professorship at a university.
A vehicle for one person; either a sedan borne upon poles, or a two-wheeled carriage drawn by one horse; a gig.
The seat or office of a person in authority, such as a judge or bishop.
Examples
All I need to weather a snowstorm is hot coffee, a warm fire, a good book and a comfortable chair.
There were many wooden chairs for the bulk of his visitors, and two wicker armchairs with red cloth cushions for superior people. From the packing-cases had emerged some Indian clubs, […], and all these articles […] made a scattered and untidy decoration that Mrs. Clough assiduously dusted and greatly cherished.
Meanwhile Nanny Broome was recovering from her initial panic and seemed anxious to make up for any kudos she might have lost, by exerting her personality to the utmost. She took the policeman's helmet and placed it on a chair, and unfolded his tunic to shake it and fold it up again for him.
Under the rules of order adopted by the board, the chair may neither make nor second motions.
The Chair behaves himself like a Busby amongst so many school-boys […] and takes a little too much on him.
It can hardly be conceived that the Chair would fail to gain the support of the House.
He was elected to the chair of Natural Philosophy and Astronomy in 1827 at the newly-founded London University, and became prominent in railway controversies in the 'thirties, when he came off second best in a dispute with Daniel Gooch about the effects of speed on the human frame.
She adds: "I'd also like to think that as chair I was friendly but firm. I wanted to encourage people to give evidence, while there are others who need to be coaxed, held to account and asked tough questions."
My violin teacher used to play first chair with the Boston Pops.
The wooden or steel keys used to secure bull-head rails in their chairs are usually driven in the direction of the traffic, so that the effects of rail-creep may be made use of to wedge the keys more firmly, rather than to encourage them to drop out.
The court will show no mercy; if he gets convicted, it's the chair for him.
"It was me. And I'm glad, damned glad, I didn't croak him. With this slick guy after me, it would be me for the chair."
'All for a pig of a man who should have gone to the chair.'
Believe it or not, it only looked like I was trying to send you to the chair.
"Scoleri Brothers!" "Friends of yours?" "I tried them for murder! Gave them the chair!"
In 1928 [Martin] Heidegger succeeded [Edmund] Husserl to take a chair at Freiburg […]
Enter Mortimer, brought in a Chayre, and Iaylors.
She always leaves her Chair at the milliner's in the next Street.
Think what an equipage thou haſt in air, And view with ſcorn two pages and a chair.
The chairs came at the appointed hour, and Ethel could not but be amused at the glimpses she had of the park along which they were carried; although haunted by misgivings as to the judiciousness of their destination. They were set down in a hall of large dimensions, hung round with portraits, and filled with servants, who had more the air of guards.
verb
chair (third-person singular simple present chairs, present participle chairing, simple past and past participle chaired)
(transitive) To act as chairperson at; to preside over.
(transitive) To carry in a seated position upon one's shoulders, especially in celebration or victory.
(transitive, Wales, UK) To award a chair to (a winning poet) at a Welsh eisteddfod.
Examples
Bob will chair tomorrow's meeting.
Greenwood told RAIL she was disappointed that Parliamentary rules prevented her from chairing the TSC [Transport Select Committee] beyond last December's General Election, [...] She added: "I'm gutted I'm no longer able to chair the committee, I'm not going to lie. But I know it's in good hands and I'm still able to play my part as a member in the work we're doing.
The time you won your town the raceWe chaired you through the marketplace.
The poet was chaired at the national Eisteddfod.