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One of several spores growing in a series or chain, and produced by one of the fungi called brand.

st. [Obs.] And both his yën braste out of his face. Chaucer. Dreadfull furies which their chains have brast. Spenser.

To strain apart; to sever by fracture; to divide with violence; as, to break a rope or chain; to break a seal; to break an axle; to break rocks or coal; to break a lock. Shak.

A seal or charm for a watch chain. "His chains and breloques." Thackeray.

A span of rope, line, or chain made fast as both ends, so that another rope, line, or chain may be attached to its middle.

ef of title, an abstract or abridgment of all the deeds and other papers constituting the chain of title to any real estate. -- In brief, in a few words; in short; briefly. "Open the matter in brief." Shak.

Separated into parts or pieces by violence; divided into fragments; as, a broken chain or rope; a broken dish.

The hut or shelter of the person who attends to the targets in rifle practice. Butt chain (Saddlery), a short chain attached to the end of a tug. -- Butt end. The thicker end of anything. See But end, under 2d But. Amen; and make me die a good old man! That's the butt end of a mother's blessing. Shak. A butt's length,…

A large, strong rope or chain, of considerable length, used to retain a vessel at anchor, and for other purposes. It is made of hemp, of steel wire, or of iron links.

Twisted after the manner of a cable; as, a cable-laid gold chain. Simmonds.

A neck guard of chain mall, hanging from the bascinet or other headpiece.

war; one kept in bondage or in the power of another. Then, when I am thy captive, talk of chains. Milton.

A jeweled chain, necklace, or collar. [Also written carkenet and carcant.] Shak.

A chain or series of things connected with each other. I have . . . in no case sought to construct those catenæ of games, which it seems now the fashion of commentators to link together. C. J. Ellicott.

The curve formed by a rope or chain of uniform density and perfect flexibility, hanging freely between two points of suspension, not in the same vertical line.

Relating to a chain; like a chain; as, a catenary curve.

To connect, in a series of links or ties; to chain. E. Darwin.

Connection of links or union of parts, as in a chain; a regular or connected series. See Concatenation. Sir T. Browne.

Consisting of little links or chains.

pl. Etym: [Cf. Chain wales.] (Naut.)