Chair (?), n. [OE. chaiere, chaere, OF. chaiere, chaere, F. chaire pulpit, fr. L. cathedra chair, armchair, a teacher's or professor's chair, Gr. down + seat, to sit, akin to E. sit. See Sit, and cf. Cathedral, chaise.]
1.
A movable single seat with a back.
2.
An official seat, as of a chief magistrate or a judge, but esp. that of a professor; hence, the office itself.
The chair of a philosophical school.
Whewell.
A chair of philology.
M. Arnold.
3.
The presiding officer of an assembly; a chairman; as, to address the chair.
4.
A vehicle for one person; either a sedan borne upon poles, or two-wheeled carriage, drawn by one horse; a gig.
Shak.
Think what an equipage thou hast in air,
And view with scorn two pages and a chair.
Pope.
5.
An iron block used on railways to support the rails and secure them to the sleepers.
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.
© Webster 1913.
Chair, v. t. [imp. & p. pr. Chaired (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Chairing.]
1.
To place in a chair.
2.
To carry publicly in a chair in triumph.
[Eng.]
© Webster 1913.