Definition of "chamber" in English

noun

1. A room or set of rooms, particularly:

2. (obsolete) Ellipsis of chamber pot (“a container used for urination and defecation in one's chambers”).

3. (figuratively) The legislature or division of the legislature itself.

   • The resolution, which speedily passed the Senate, was unable to gain a majority in the lower chamber.

4. Any enclosed space occupying or similar to a room.

   • A canal lock chamber; a furnace chamber; a test chamber

5. (biology) An enlarged space in an underground tunnel of a burrowing animal.

6. (firearms) The area holding the ammunition round at the initiation of its discharge.

   • Dianne loaded a cartridge into the chamber of the rifle, then prepared to take aim at the target.

7. (firearms) One of the bullet-holding compartments in the cylinder of a revolver.

8. (historical) A short piece of ordnance or cannon which stood on its breech without any carriage, formerly used chiefly for celebrations and theatrical cannonades.

9. One of the two atria or two ventricles of the heart.

verb

1. (transitive) To enclose in a room.

   • She had chambered herself in her room, and wouldn't come out.

2. To reside in or occupy a chamber or chambers.

3. (transitive) To place in a chamber, as a round of ammunition.

   • The hunter fired at the geese and missed, then shrugged his shoulders and chambered another cartridge.

4. (transitive) To create or modify a gun to be a specific caliber.

   • The rifle was originally chambered for 9mm, but had since been modified for a larger, wildcat caliber.

5. (martial arts, transitive) To prepare an offensive, defensive, or counteroffensive action by drawing a limb or weapon to a position where it may be charged with kinetic energy.

   • Bob chambered his fist for a blow, but Sheila struck first.

6. (obsolete) To be lascivious.