Part 184

2. An attendant upon persons of rank or wealth, wearing a plume and sword.

The great chasseur who had announced her arrival. W. Irving.

Chas"sis (?), n. [F. chÔssis.] (Mil.) A traversing base frame, or movable railway, along which the carriage of a barbette or casemate gun moves backward and forward. [See Gun carriage.]

Chast (chāst), v. t. to chasten. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Chaste (chāst), a. [F. chaste, from L. castus pure, chaste; cf. Gr. kaqaro`s pure, Skr. šudth to purify.]

1. Pure from unlawful sexual intercourse; virtuous; continent. "As chaste as Diana." Shak.

Whose bed is undefiled and chaste pronounced. Milton.

2. Pure in thought and act; innocent; free from lewdness and obscenity, or indecency in act or speech; modest; as, a chaste mind; chaste eyes.

3. Pure in design and expression; correct; free from barbarisms or vulgarisms; refined; simple; as, a chaste style in composition or art.

That great model of chaste, lofty, and eloquence, the Book of Common Prayer. Macaulay.

4. Unmarried. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Syn. -- Undefiled; pure; virtuous; continent; immaculate; spotless.

Chaste tree. Same as Agnus castus.

Chaste"ly, adv. In a chaste manner; with purity.

Chas"ten (chā"s'n), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Chastened (-s'nd); p. pr. & vb. n. Chastening.] [OE. chastien, OF. Chastier, F. Ch&?;tier, fr. L. castigare to punish, chastise; castus pure + agere to lead, drive. See Chaste, Act, and cf. Castigate, Chastise.] 1. To correct by punishment; to inflict pain upon the purpose of reclaiming; to discipline; as, to chasten a son with a rod.

For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth. Heb. xii. 6.

2. To purify from errors or faults; to refine.

They [classics] chasten and enlarge the mind, and excite to noble actions. Layard.

Syn. -- To chastise; punish; correct; discipline; castigate; afflict; subdue; purify. To Chasten, Punish, Chastise. To chasten is to subject to affliction or trouble, in order to produce a general change for the better in life or character. To punish is to inflict penalty for violation of law, disobedience to authority, or intentional wrongdoing. To chastise is to punish a particular offense, as with stripes, especially with the hope that suffering or disgrace may prevent a repetition of faults.

Chas"tened (?), a. Corrected; disciplined; refined; purified; toned down. Sir. W. Scott.

Of such a finished chastened purity. Tennyson.

Chas"ten*er (?), n. One who chastens.

Chaste"ness (?), n. 1. Chastity; purity.

2. (Literature & Art) Freedom from all that is meretricious, gaudy, or affected; as, chasteness of design.

Chas*tis"a*ble (?), a. Capable or deserving of chastisement; punishable. Sherwood.

Chas*tise" (chăs*tīz"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Chastised (- tīzd"); p. pr. & vb. n. Chastising.] [OE. chastisen; chastien + ending -isen + modern -ise, -ize, L. - izare, Gr. -i`zein. See Chasten.] 1. To inflict pain upon, by means of stripes, or in any other manner, for the purpose of punishment or reformation; to punish, as with stripes.

How fine my master is! I am afraid He will chastise me. Shak.

I am glad to see the vanity or envy of the canting chemists thus discovered and chastised. Boyle.