I. ˈchīm noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English chime, chimbe cymbal, from Old French chimbe, cymbe, from Latin cymbalum — more at cymbal
1. : a mechanical or electrical apparatus for chiming a bell or set of bells
wind a clock chime
specifically : an electrically operated chime used in place of a doorbell
2.
a. : a set of bells tuned in a scale and capable of playing melody but not properly harmony — compare carillon
b. : one of a set of objects giving a bell-like sound when struck — usually used in plural
stone chimes
gong chimes
organ chimes
c. : bell 6a
3.
a. : the sound of a set of bells — usually used in plural
we have heard the chimes at midnight — Shakespeare
b. : a musical sound resembling or suggesting that of bells
c. : a sequence of musical or harmonious sounds
4. : order and proportion : accord , harmony
nature's chime
each keeping chime with the other
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English chimen, chimben to resound when struck, to produce a ringing sound, from chime, chimbe cymbal
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to make a musical especially harmonious sound (as of a bell)
the bells in the bell tower chimed throughout the day
words chime and ring in her ears — Virginia Woolf
some could harmonize … and some could barely carry a tune, but they all chimed together — Marcia Davenport
b. : to make the sounds of a chime
the doorbell chimed twice
2. : to be or act in harmonious accord
the music and the mood chimed well together
— usually used with with
the swan singing before death … chimes so perfectly with Yeat's conception of pride — D.A.Stauffer
3. : to call by means of bells or chimes
churches and chapels that chime to services all day — J.P.O'Donnell
transitive verb
1.
a. : to strike (as a bell or set of bells) so as to produce a musical sound or a chime
a device to chime bells for morning service
specifically : to sound (a bell) by striking from the outside or by swinging only a bell clapper or by describing only a small arc in sounding — distinguished from ring and peal
b. : to cause to sound or chime especially harmoniously in this way
he chimes one note against another — Virginia Woolf
2. : to produce by chiming : give forth (as sound or music) in chimes
a church bell tower chiming hymns
3. : to indicate (an hour of the day) by chiming
a clock chiming midnight
4. : to call or bring to a place or condition by chiming
bells chiming a congregation to church
the soft sounds of the distant city chimed her to sleep
5. : to utter repetitively or mechanically : din 2
chime the same phrases over and over
chime a foolish slogan into our ears
III. ˈchīm noun
or chine ˈchīn ; also chimb ˈchīm
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English chimbe, from Old English cimb- (in cimbstān base of a pillar); akin to Middle Dutch kimme edge of a cask, Middle Low German, outer edge, horizon, Old English camb comb — more at comb
1.
a. : the portion of the staves of a cask that extend from the croze to the rim
b. : the rim of a cask or of any casklike container
2. : the chamfer on the rim of a cask or on a single cask stave
IV. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
: to chamfer the ends of the staves to form the chime of (a cask)