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[chain-smoke]{v.} To smoke cigarettes or cigars one after another without stopping. •/Mr. Jones is very nervous. He chain-smokes cigars./ [chain smoker]{n.} •/Mr. Jones is a chain smoker./ [chain-smoking]{adj.} or {n.} •/Chain smoking is very dangerous to health./

[chain stores]{n.} A series of stores in different locations, joined together under one ownership and general management. •/The goods in chain stores tend to be more uniform than in independent ones./

[chained to the oars]{adj. phr.} The condition of being forced to do strenuous and unwelcome labor against one’s wishes for an extended period of time. •/Teachers in large public schools frequently complain that they feel as if they had been chained to the oars./

[chair] See: MUSICAL CHAIRS.

[chalk] See: WALK THE CHALK.

[chalk up]{v.}, {informal} 1. To write down as part of a score; record. •/The scorekeeper chalked up one more point for the home team./ 2. To make (a score or part of a score); score. •/The team chalked up another victory./ •/Bob chalked up a home run and two base hits in the game./ •/Mary chalked up good grades this term./

[champ at the bit]{v. phr.} To be eager to begin; be tired of being held back; want to start. •/The horses were champing at the bit, anxious to start racing./ •/As punishment John was kept after school for two hours. He was champing at the bit to go out./

[chance] See: BY CHANCE, FAT CHANCE, STAND A CHANCE, TAKE A CHANCE.

[chance it]{v. phr.} To be willing to risk an action whose outcome is uncertain. •/"Should we take the boat out in such stormy weather?" Jim asked. "We can chance it," Tony replied. "We have enough experience."/

[chance on] also [chance upon]{v.} To happen to find or meet; find or meet by accident. •/On our vacation we chanced upon an interesting antique store./ •/Mary dropped her ring in the yard, and Mother chanced on it as she was raking./ Syn.: HAPPEN ON. Compare: RUN INTO.

[change] See: RING THE CHANGES.

[change color]{v. phr.} 1. To become pale. •/The sight was so horrible that Mary changed color from fear./ •/Bill lost so much blood from the cut that he changed color./ 2. To become pink or red in the face; become flushed; blush. •/Mary changed color when the teacher praised her drawing./ •/Tom got angry at the remark and changed color./

[change hands]{v. phr.} To change or transfer ownership. •/Ever since our apartment building changed hands, things are working a lot better./

[change horses in the middle of a stream] or [change horses in midstream]{v. phr.} To make new plans or choose a new leader in the middle of an important activity. •/When a new President is to be elected during a war, the people may decide not to change horses in the middle of a stream./

[change off]{v.}, {informal} To take turns doing something; alternate. •/John and Bill changed off at riding the bicycle./ •/Bob painted one patch of wall and then he changed off with Tom./

[change of heart]{n. phr.} A change in the way one feels or thinks about a given task, idea or problem to be solved. •/Joan had a change of heart and suddenly broke off her engagement to Tim./ •/Fred got admitted to medical school, but he had a change of heart and decided to go into the Foreign Service instead./

[change of life]{n. phr.} The menopause (primarily in women). •/Women usually undergo a change of life in their forties or fifties./

[change of pace]{n. phr.} A quick change in what you are doing. •/John studied for three hours and then read a comic book for a change of pace./ •/The doctor told the man he needed a change of pace./

[change one’s mind]{v. phr.} To alter one’s opinion or judgment on a given issue. •/I used to hate Chicago, but as the years passed I gradually changed my mind and now I actually love living here./

[change one’s tune]{v. phr.}, {informal} To make a change in your story, statement, or claim; change your way of acting. •/The man said he was innocent, but when they found the stolen money in his pocket he changed his tune./ •/Bob was rude to his teacher, but she threatened to tell the principal and he changed his tune./ Syn.: SING A DIFFERENT TUNE.

[change up] See: LET UP(4).

[character] See: IN CHARACTER.

[charge] See: CARRYING CHARGE, CHARGE OFF(2), IN CHARGE, IN CHARGE OF, TAKE CHARGE.

[charge account]{n.} An agreement with a store through which you can buy things and pay for them later. •/Mother bought a new dress on her charge account./ •/Mr. Jones has a charge account at the garage on the corner./

[charge off]{v.} 1. To consider or record as a loss, especially in an account book. •/The store owner charged off all of the last season’s stock of suits./ Syn.: WRITE OFF(1). 2. or [charge up]{informal} To accept or remember (something) as a mistake and not worry about it any more. — Often used with "to experience". •/He charged off his mistakes to experience./ Syn.: CHALK UP. Compare: CHARGE TO.

[charge something to something]{v.} 1. To place the blame on; make responsible for. •/John failed to win a prize, but he charged it to his lack of experience./ •/The coach charged the loss of the game to the team’s disobeying his orders./ 2. To buy something on the credit of. •/Mrs. Smith bought a new pocketbook and charged it to her husband./ •/Mr. White ordered a box of cigars and had it charged to his account./

[charge up]{v. phr.} 1. To submit to a flow of electricity in order to make functional. •/I mustn’t forget to charge up my razor before we go on our trip./ 2. To use up all the available credit one has on one’s credit card(s). •/"Let’s charge dinner on the Master Card," Jane said. "Unfortunately I can’t," Jim replied. "All of my credit cards are completely charged up."/

[charge with]{v. phr.} To accuse someone in a court of law. •/The criminal was charged with aggravated kidnapping across a state line./