chapter
Pronunciation
  • (RP) IPA: /ˈt͡ʃæptə/
  • (America) IPA: /ˈt͡ʃæptɚ/
Noun

chapter (plural chapters)

  1. (authorship) One of the main sections into which the text of a book is divided.
    Detective novel writers try to keep up the suspense until the last chapter.
    • 1907, Robert William Chambers, chapter VIII, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, OCLC 24962326 ↗:
      At her invitation he outlined for her the succeeding chapters with terse military accuracy ; and what she liked best and best understood was avoidance of that false modesty which condescends, turning technicality into pabulum.
  2. A section of a social or religious body.
    1. An administrative division of an organization, usually local to a specific area.
    2. An assembly of monks, or of the prebends and other clergymen connected with a cathedral, conventual, or collegiate church, or of a diocese, usually presided over by the dean.
    3. A community of canons or canonesses.
    4. A bishop's council.
    5. An organized branch of some society or fraternity, such as the Freemasons.
    6. A meeting of certain organized societies or orders.
    7. A chapter house.
  3. A sequence (of events), especially when presumed related and likely to continue.
    • 1866, Wilkie Collins, Armadale, Book the Last, Chapter I,
      "You know that Mr. Armadale is alive," pursued the doctor, "and you know that he is coming back to England. Why do you continue to wear your widow's dress?" ¶ She answered him without an instant's hesitation, steadily going on with her work. ¶ "Because I am of a sanguine disposition, like you. I mean to trust to the chapter of accidents to the very last. Mr. Armadale may die yet, on his way home."
  4. A decretal epistle.
  5. (obsolete) A location or compartment.
    • c. 1601–1602, William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or VVhat You VVill”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act I, scene v]:
      In his bosom! In what chapter of his bosom?
Synonyms
  • ch., chpt. (abbreviations)
Related terms Translations Translations Verb

chapter (chapters, present participle chaptering; past and past participle chaptered)

  1. To divide into chapters.
  2. To put into a chapter.
  3. (military, with "out") To use administrative procedure to remove someone.
  4. (transitive) To take to task.



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