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REFERENCE

chamber

n. · v.
US //ˈtʃeɪmbɝ// UK //tʃˈeɪmbɐ// cham·ber
  1. 1 a room (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Literary

    a room, especially a bedroom or a private space.

    a private room or apartment, particularly a bedroom. Often used in historical or literary contexts.

    Example

    The queen retired to her private chamber to rest after the long ceremony.

    Example

    The poet described a lonely figure pacing within a cold stone chamber, lit only by the flickering remains of a dying fire.
  2. 2 legislative hall (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Formal Law

    a large room where a group of people, like a government, meets to make laws.

    a hall used for the meetings of a legislative or judicial body; also refers to the body itself.

    Example

    The members of parliament gathered in the debating chamber to discuss the new law.

    Example

    The upper chamber of the legislature voted to delay the bill, citing concerns over its long-term economic impact on rural communities.
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  1. 3 anatomical cavity (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Medicine

    an enclosed space inside the body, such as one of the parts of the heart.

    a natural or anatomical cavity, such as the atria or ventricles of the heart.

    Example

    The human heart has four chambers that pump blood to the rest of the body.

    Example

    The ultrasound revealed a slight abnormality in the left chamber of the heart, requiring further diagnostic testing.
  2. 4 mechanical compartment (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Technical

    a small space in a machine or weapon, like the part of a gun that holds a bullet.

    an enclosed space in a machine or instrument, specifically the part of a firearm that holds the cartridge.

    Example

    He checked the chamber of the rifle to make sure it was empty before cleaning it.

    Example

    The engineer designed a pressurized chamber to test how the new sensors would perform under extreme underwater conditions.
  3. 5 to load a weapon (v.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical

    to put a bullet into the part of a gun where it is ready to be fired.

    to move a round of ammunition into the chamber of a firearm.

    Example

    The soldier quickly chambered a round as he heard a noise in the bushes.

    Example

    The instructor demonstrated how to safely chamber a round while maintaining proper muzzle discipline at the firing range.

    Usage

    The verb is transitive and requires a direct object, typically 'a round' or 'a bullet'.
Origin

From Middle English chambre, borrowed from Old French chambre, from Latin camera, from Ancient Greek καμάρα (kamára, “vaulted chamber”). Doublet of camera.

Word family
Idioms1 entry

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