Chapter
Pronunciation
- US IPA: /ˈtʃæptɚ/
Alternative forms
- chaptre obsolete
Origin
Middle English chapiter, from Old French chapitre, from Latin capitulum, diminutive of caput ("a head"); see chapiter and capital, which are doublets of chapter.
Full definition of chapter
Noun
chapter
(plural chapters)- 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, w, The Younger Set Chapter 8, 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.
- A section of a social or religious body.
- An administrative division of an organization, usually local to a specific area.
- 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.
- A community of canons or canonesses.
- A bishop's council.
- An organized branch of some society or fraternity, such as the Freemasons.
- A meeting of certain organized societies or orders.
- A chapter house.
- A sequence (of events), especially when presumed related and likely to continue.
- 1866, Wilkie Collins, , 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."
- 1911, Bram Stoker, , Chapter 26,...she determined to go on slowly towards Castra Regis, and trust to the chapter of accidents to pick up the trail again.
- A decretal epistle.
- (obsolete) A location or compartment.
- William Shakespeare (1564-1616)In his bosom! In what chapter of his bosom?
Derived terms
Related terms
Verb
- To divide into chapters.
- To put into a chapter.
- (military, with "out") To use administrative procedure to remove someone.
- 2001, John Palmer Hawkins, Army of Hope, Army of Alienation: Culture and Contradiction in the American Army Communities of Cold War Germany, i|they+will+chapter+him|you|them%22&hl=en&ei=FqeKTdKaHIGIuAOwr8jPDg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22he|i|they%20will%20chapter%20him|you|them%22&f=false page 117,If you're a single parent soldier and you can't find someone to take care of your children, they will chapter you out elimination from the service. And yet if you use someone not certified, they get mad.
- 2006, Thomas R. Schombert, Diaries of a Soldier: Nightmares from Within, page 100,"He also wanted me to give you a message. He said that if you don't get your shit ready for this deployment, then he will chapter you out of his freakin' army."