n. [ OE. chaiere, chaere, OF. chaiere, chaere, F. chaire pulpit, fr. L. cathedra chair, armchair, a teacher's or professor's chair, Gr. &unr_; down + &unr_; seat, &unr_; to sit, akin to E. sit. See Sit, and cf. Cathedral, chaise. ] [ 1913 Webster ] 1. A movable single seat with a back. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. An official seat, as of a chief magistrate or a judge, but esp. that of a professor; hence, the office itself. [ 1913 Webster ] The chair of a philosophical school. Whewell. [ 1913 Webster ] A chair of philology. M. Arnold. [ 1913 Webster ] 3. The presiding officer of an assembly; a chairman; as, to address the chair. [ 1913 Webster ] 4. A vehicle for one person; either a sedan borne upon poles, or two-wheeled carriage, drawn by one horse; a gig. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ] Think what an equipage thou hast in air,
And view with scorn two pages and a chair. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ] 5. An iron block used on railways to support the rails and secure them to the sleepers. [ 1913 Webster ]
Chair days, days of repose and age. --
To put into the chair, to elect as president, or as chairman of a meeting. Macaulay. --
To take the chair, to assume the position of president, or of chairman of a meeting. [ 1913 Webster ]
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