Part 168

The poets chant in the theaters. Bramhall.

3. (Mus.) To sing or recite after the manner of a chant, or to a tune called a chant.

Chant, v. i. 1. To make melody with the voice; to sing. "Chant to the sound of the viol." Amos vi. 5.

2. (Mus.) To sing, as in reciting a chant.

To chant (or chaunt) horses, to sing their praise; to overpraise; to cheat in selling. See Chaunter. Thackeray.

Chant, n.[F. chant, fr. L. cantus singing, song, fr. canere to sing. See Chant, v. t.] 1. Song; melody.

2. (Mus.) A short and simple melody, divided into two parts by double bars, to which unmetrical psalms, etc., are sung or recited. It is the most ancient form of choral music.

3. A psalm, etc., arranged for chanting.

4. Twang; manner of speaking; a canting tone. [R.]

His strange face, his strange chant. Macaulay.

Ambrosian chant, See under Ambrosian. Chant royal [F.], in old French poetry, a poem containing five strophes of eleven lines each, and a concluding stanza. -- each of these six parts ending with a common refrain. -- Gregorian chant. See under Gregorian.

||Chan`tant" (?), a. [F. singing.] (Mus.) Composed in a melodious and singing style.

Chant"er (ch&adot;nt"&etilde;r), n. [Cf. F. chanteur.] 1. One who chants; a singer or songster. Pope.

2. The chief singer of the chantry. J. Gregory.

3. The flute or finger pipe in a bagpipe. See Bagpipe.

4. (Zo÷l.) The hedge sparrow.

||Chan`te*relle" (?), n. [F.] (Bot.) A name for several species of mushroom, of which one (Cantharellus cibrius) is edible, the others reputed poisonous.

Chan"ti*cleer (chăn"t&ibreve;*klēr), n. [F. Chanteclair, name of the cock in the Roman du Renart (Reynard the Fox); chanter to chant + clair clear. See Chant, and Clear.] A cock, so called from the clearness or loudness of his voice in crowing.

Chant"ing (ch&adot;nt"&ibreve;ng), n. Singing, esp. as a chant is sung.

Chanting falcon (Zo÷l.), an African falcon (Melierax canorus or musicus). The male has the habit, remarkable in a bird of prey, of singing to his mate, while she is incubating.

Chant"or (?), n. A chanter.

Chant"ress (?), n. [Cf. OF. chanteresse.] A female chanter or singer. Milton.

Chant"ry (?), n.; pl. Chantries (#). [OF. chanterie, fr. chanter to sing.] 1. An endowment or foundation for the chanting of masses and offering of prayers, commonly for the founder.

2. A chapel or altar so endowed. Cowell.

Cha"o*man`cy (?), n. [Gr. &?; the atmosphere + -mancy.] Divination by means of appearances in the air.

Cha"os (kā"&obreve;s), n. [L. chaos chaos (in senses 1 & 2), Gr. cha`os, fr. cha`inein (root cha) to yawn, to gape, to open widely. Cf. Chasm.] 1. An empty, immeasurable space; a yawning chasm. [Archaic]

Between us and there is fixed a great chaos. Luke xvi. 26 (Rhemish Trans.).

2. The confused, unorganized condition or mass of matter before the creation of distinct and orderly forms.