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Chandler, Raymond
cha-me-le-on /kə'mi:liən/ n 1 a small LIZARD that can change its colour to match its surroundings 2 someone who changes their behaviour, ideas etc to suit the situation
cham-ois¹ /'ʃæmwɑ:/ n pl. chamois /'ʃæmwɑ:z/ a small wild goatlike animal from the mountains of Europe and SW Asia
cham-ois² /'ʃæmi/ also 'chamois leather, chammy /'ʃæmi/, shammy n pl. chamois /'ʃæmiz/ [C;U] (a piece of) soft leather prepared from the skin of chamois, sheep, or goats and used for cleaning and polishing
cham-o-mile /'kæməmaɪl/ n [C;U] CAMOMILE
champ¹ /tʃæmp/ also chomp v [I(on, at);T] (of a horse) to bite noisily: The horse is champing (at) his hay. → see also champ at the bit (BIT²)
champ² n infml for CHAMPION
cham-pagne /ʃæm'peɪn/ also cham-pers /'ʃæmpəz||-ərz/ BrE infml — n [U] an expensive (French) white wine containing a lot of BUBBLES usually drunk on special occasions. Champagne used to be drunk only by the very rich, but now a lot of people occasionally drink it: a champagne reception (=at which champagne is served) → see also SPARKLING WINE
cham-pi-on /'tʃæmpiən/ n 1 also champ infml — a person or animal that has won a competition of skill, strength etc, especially a sporting competition: a tennis champion | the world chess champion | the reigning heavyweight boxing champion (=the champion at the present time) | a champion racehorse 2 [(of)] a person who fights for, supports strongly, or defends a principle, movement, person etc: a champion of women's rights/the poor
champion² v [T] to fight for, support strongly, or defend (a principle, movement, person etc): He has championed numerous causes connected with civil liberties.
champion³ adj, adv N EngE infml very good or well: 'How do you feel?' 'Champion, thanks!'
cham-pi-on-ship /'tʃæmpiənʃɪp/ n 1 [C] also championships pl. — a competition held to find the champion: The championship will be held tomorrow. | the European basketball championship 2 [C] the position, title, rank, or period of being champion: I don't think this new boxer can take the championship from him. 3 [U(of)] the act of championing: The party is well known for its championship of women's rights.
Champions League, the a football competition that includes the best teams from different countries in Europe. The teams are divided into eight groups. The two top teams in each group then play a KNOCKOUT stage until one team is the winner.
Champs E-ly-sées, the /ˌʃɒz eˈliːzeɪ||ˌʃɑːnz ˌeliːˈzeɪ/ an important street in Paris which leads up to the Arc de Triomphe. It is famous for its cafes, where customers sit at tables outside, and watch people passing by.
chance¹ /tʃɑːns||tʃæns/ n 1 [U] the force that seems to make things happen without cause or reason, and that cannot be controlled or influenced by humans; luck; good or bad fortune: Chance plays an important part in many card games. | It happened quite by chance. | Have you got a spare stamp by any chance? 2 [C;U(of)] (a) possibility; (degree of) likelihood that something will happen, especially something desirable: You'd have more chance of catching the train if you got a bus to the station instead of walking. | The withdrawal of the American from the competition has greatly increased the Italian's chances of success. | [+(that)] There's some chance/a good chance that she'll be released without being charged. | There's an outside chance (=a small chance) that he'll win. | She pinned her hopes on the chance of getting the part. | The theatre was almost fully booked, but he went on the off chance (=because of the unlikely possibility) of getting a ticket. | You don't stand a chance of winning the case. (=there is no likelihood that you will) | I think I'm in with a chance of winning this competition. | Is there any chance of/What are the chances of getting an interview with her? | Not a chance/No chance! (=certainly not) | (infml) Chances are (=it is likely) she's already heard the news. | I'd say she's got about a fifty-fifty chance of passing. (=it is equally likely that she will pass as that she will fail) | It was a chance in a million that he should have broken his leg on that particular day. (=he was extremely unlucky) 3 [C(of)] a situation that is favourable for a particular purpose; OPPORTUNITY: I never miss a chance of playing football. | [+(to-v)] He had no chance to apologize. | The long spell of dry weather gave us a chance to paint the house. | Those poor children haven't got a chance in life. | If I give you a second chance will you promise to be good? | You should accept – you may never get another chance. | The offer of a free trip round the world is the chance of a lifetime. 4 [C;U(of)] (a) risk: The rope might break, but that's a chance we'll have to take! | There's always an element of chance (=some risk) in buying stocks and shares. | Let's find another place to park – I don't want to take the chance of getting a fine. 5 given half a chance also if you give someone half a chance used in order to say that someone is very likely to do something if they have an opportunity: I don't blame you for asking – I'm sure I'd have done the same thing myself, given half a chance. | He'll start telling you all his war stories if you give him half a chance.
Compare chance, opportunity, and occasion.
1 Both chance and opportunity can be used for a situation that is suitable for doing something that you want to do: I'll have a chance /an opportunity to visit the Louvre when I'm in Paris. 2 You can use chance but not opportunity to say that it is possible that something might happen: There is a chance (=a possibility) that I'll see him when I'm in New York. 3 An occasion is a moment when something happens, especially when the same thing happens several times: I met her on several occasions. An occasion can also be an event: Christmas is a special occasion.
chance² v [not in progressive forms] 1 [T] infml to take a chance with; risk: to chance all one's money on a game of cards 2 [I+to-v; it+I+that] infml to take place by chance; happen by accident: She chanced to be in the park when I was there. | It chanced that we were both travelling on the same plane. 3 chance it/chance one's luck/chance one's arm infml to take a chance of succeeding, even though failure is possible: The police may catch us, but we'll just have to chance it/chance our luck.
chance on/upon sbdy./sthg. phr v [T] to meet or find by chance: She chanced on some valuable documents when she was cleaning out the attic.
chance³ adj [A no comp.] accidental; unplanned: a chance meeting
chan-cel /'tʃɑːnsəl||'tʃæn-/ n the eastern part of a church, where the priests and CHOIR (=singers) usually sit
chan-cel-lery /'tʃɑːnsələrɪ||'tʃæn-/ n 1 the building in which a chancellor has his offices 2 [+sing./pl. v] the officials who work in a chancellor's office 3 also chancery — the offices of an official representative (AMBASSADOR or CONSUL) of a foreign country
chan-cel-lor /'tʃɑːnsələr||'tʃæn-/ n 1 (often cap.) a) a state or legal official of high rank: The most important judge in Britain is the Lord Chancellor. b) (in some countries) the chief minister: Herr Willy Brandt, the former West German Chancellor 2 → see CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER 3 the official head of various universities → compare VICE-CHANCELLOR
Chancellor of the Ex'chequer also Chancellor n the British government minister in charge of taxes and government spending. The work of the Chancellor of the Exchequer is the same as that of the Finance Minister in many other countries. → see also BUDGET¹, BUDGET DAY
chan-ce-ry /'tʃɑːnsərɪ||'tʃæn-/ n 1 (in Britain) the Lord Chancellor's division of the High Court of Justice 2 an office for the collection and safe-keeping of official papers 3 a CHANCELLERY
chanc-y /'tʃɑːnsɪ||'tʃænsi/ adj infml risky; of uncertain result: That was a chancy thing to do; you could have been killed. | We may be able to get tickets but it's a bit chancy. —iness n [U]
chan-de-lier /ˌʃændə'lɪər/ n a usually large branched decorative holder for candles or electric lights, usually hanging from the CEILING
chand-ler /'tʃɑːndlər||'tʃæn-/ n old use a person who makes or sells candles → see also SHIP'S CHANDLER
Chandler, Ray-mond /'reɪmənd/ (1888–1959) a US writer of