chapter








noun

  1. a main division of a book, treatise, or the like, usually bearing a number or title.
  2. a branch, usually restricted to a given locality, of a society, organization, fraternity, etc.: the Connecticut chapter of the American Red Cross.
  3. an important portion or division of anything: The atomic bomb opened a new chapter in history.
  4. Ecclesiastical.
    1. an assembly of the monks in a monastery, of those in a province, or of the entire order.
    2. a general assembly of the canons of a church.
    3. a meeting of the elected representatives of the provinces or houses of a religious community.
    4. the body of such canons or representatives collectively.
  5. any general assembly.
  6. Liturgy. a short scriptural quotation read at various parts of the office, as after the last psalm in the service of lauds, prime, tierce, etc.
  7. Horology. any of the marks or numerals designating the hours on a dial.

verb (used with object)

  1. to divide into or arrange in chapters.

noun U.S. Law.

  1. a section of the Bankruptcy Code that provides for the reorganization of an insolvent corporation under court supervision and can establish a schedule for the payment of debts and, in some cases, a new corporation that can continue to do business.

noun

  1. a division of a written work, esp a narrative, usually titled or numbered
  2. a sequence of events having a common attributea chapter of disasters
  3. chapter of accidents
    1. a series of misfortunes
    2. the unforeseeable course of events
  4. an episode or period in a life, history, etc
  5. a numbered reference to that part of a Parliamentary session which relates to a specified Act of Parliament
  6. a branch of some societies, clubs, etc, esp of a secret society
  7. the collective body or a meeting of the canons of a cathedral or collegiate church or of the members of a monastic or knightly orderRelated adjective: capitular
  8. a general assembly of some organization
  9. chapter and verse exact authority for an action or statement

verb

  1. (tr) to divide into chapters

noun

  1. US the statute regarding the reorganization of a failing business empowering a court to allow the debtors to remain in control of the business to attempt to save itthey are in chapter 11
n.

c.1200, “main division of a book,” from Old French chapitre (12c.) “chapter (of a book), article (of a treaty), chapter (of a cathedral),” alteration of chapitle, from Late Latin capitulum, diminutive of caput (genitive capitis) “head” (see capitulum). Sense of “local branch” (1815) is from cathedral sense (late 15c.), which seems to trace to convocations of canons at cathedral churches, during which the rules of the order by chapter, or a chapter (capitulum) of Scripture, were read aloud to the assembled. Chapter and verse “in full and thoroughly” (1620s) is a reference to Scripture.

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