Chuck (chŭk) intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Chucked (chŭkt); present participle & verbal noun Chucking .] [ Imitative of the sound.]
1. To make a noise resembling that of a hen when she calls her chickens; to cluck.

2. To chuckle; to laugh. [ R.] Marston.

Chuck transitive verb To call, as a hen her chickens. Dryden.

Chuck noun
1. The chuck or call of a hen.

2. A sudden, small noise.

3. A word of endearment; -- corrupted from chick . "Pray, chuck , come hither." Shak.

Chuck transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Chucked (chŭkt); present participle & verbal noun Chucking .] [ French choquer to strike. Confer Shock , transitive verb ]
1. To strike gently; to give a gentle blow to.

Chucked the barmaid under the chin.
W. Irving.

2. To toss or throw smartly out of the hand; to pitch. [ Colloq.] "Mahomet Ali will just be chucked into the Nile." Lord Palmerson.

3. (Mech.) To place in a chuck, or hold by means of a chuck, as in turning; to bore or turn (a hole) in a revolving piece held in a chuck.

Chuck (chŭk) noun
1. A small pebble; -- called also chuckstone and chuckiestone . [ Scot.]

2. plural A game played with chucks, in which one or more are tossed up and caught; jackstones. [ Scot.]

Chuck noun A piece of the backbone of an animal, from between the neck and the collar bone, with the adjoining parts, cut for cooking; as, a chuck steak; a chuck roast. [ Colloq.]

Chuck-Will's-widow noun (Zool.) A species of goatsucker ( Antrostomus Carolinensis ), of the southern United States; -- so called from its note.

Chuckle transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Chuckled ; present participle & verbal noun Chuckling .] [ From 1st Chuck .]

1. To call, as a hen her chickens; to cluck. [ Obsolete] Dryden.

2. To fondle; to cocker. [ Obsolete] Dryden.

Chuckle noun A short, suppressed laugh; the expression of satisfaction, exultation, or derision.

Chuckle intransitive verb [ From 1st Chuck .] To laugh in a suppressed or broken manner, as expressing inward satisfaction, exultation, or derision.

Chucklehead noun A person with a large head; a numskull; a dunce. [ Low] Knowles.

Chuckleheaded adjective Having a large head; thickheaded; dull; stupid. Smart.

Chud transitive verb [ Confer Chew , Cud .] To champ; to bite. [ Obsolete] A. Stafford.

Chuet noun [ From Chew , transitive verb ] Minced meat. [ Obsolete] Bacon.

Chufa noun [ Spanish ] (Botany) A sedgelike plant ( Cyperus esculentus ) producing edible tubers, native about the Mediterranean, now cultivated in many regions; the earth almond.

Chuff noun [ Perh. a modification of chub : confer W. cyff stock, stump.] A coarse or stupid fellow. Shak.

Chuff adjective Stupid; churlish. [ Prov. Eng.] Wright.

Chuffily adverb Clownishly; surlily.

Chuffiness noun The quality of being chuffy.

Chuffy adjective
1. Fat or puffed out in the cheeks.

2. Rough; clownish; surly.

Chulan noun (Botany) The fragrant flowers of the Chloranthus inconspicuus , used in China for perfuming tea.

Chum noun [ Perh. a contraction from comrade or chamber fellow : confer also Anglo-Saxon cuma a comer, guest.] A roommate, especially in a college or university; an old and intimate friend.

Chum intransitive verb [ impast participle p. Chummed ; present participle & verbal noun Chumming .] To occupy a chamber with another; as, to chum together at college. [ U. S.]

Chum noun Chopped pieces of fish used as bait. [ U. S.]

Chum noun -- New chum , a recent immigrant. [ Australia]

Chump noun [ Confer Icelandic kumbr a chopping, English chop .] A short, thick, heavy piece of wood. Morton.

Chump end , the thick end; as, the chump end of a joint of meat. Dickens.

Chunam noun [ Hind. chūnā , from Sanskrit cūrn.a powder, dust; or a Dravidian word.] Quicklime; also, plaster or mortar. [ India] Whitworth.

Chunk noun [ Confer Chump .] A short, thick piece of anything. [ Colloq. U. S. & Prov. Eng.]

Chunky adjective Short and thick. [ U. S.] Kane.

Chupatty noun ; plural - ties . [ Hind. chapātī .] A kind of griddlecake of unleavened bread, used among the natives of India. [ Anglo-Indian]

Chuprassy, Chuprassie noun [ Hind. chaprāssī , from chaprās badge.] A messenger or servant wearing an official badge. [ Anglo-Indian]

Church noun [ Middle English chirche , chireche , cherche , Scot. kirk , from Anglo-Saxon circe , cyrice ; akin to Dutch kerk , Icelandic kirkja , Swedish kyrka , Danish kirke , German kirche , Old High German chirihha ; all from Greek ... the Lord's house, from ... concerning a master or lord, from ... master, lord, from ... power, might; akin to Sanskrit çūra hero, Zend. çura strong, OIr. caur , cur , hero. Confer Kirk .]

1. A building set apart for Christian worship.

2. A Jewish or heathen temple. [ Obsolete] Acts xix. 37.

3. A formally organized body of Christian believers worshiping together. "When they had ordained them elders in every church ." Acts xiv. 23.

4. A body of Christian believers, holding the same creed, observing the same rites, and acknowledging the same ecclesiastical authority; a denomination; as, the Roman Catholic church ; the Presbyterian church .

5. The collective body of Christians.

6. Any body of worshipers; as, the Jewish church ; the church of Brahm.

7. The aggregate of religious influences in a community; ecclesiastical influence, authority, etc.; as, to array the power of the church against some moral evil.

Remember that both church and state are properly the rulers of the people, only because they are their benefactors.
Bulwer.

» Church is often used in composition to denote something belonging or relating to the church; as, church authority; church history; church member; church music, etc.

Apostolic church . See under Apostolic . -- Broad church . See Broad Church . -- Catholic or Universal church , the whole body of believers in Christ throughout the world. -- Church of England , or English church , the Episcopal church established and endowed in England by law. -- Church living , a benefice in an established church. - - Church militant . See under Militant . -- Church owl (Zoology) , the white owl. See Barn owl . -- Church rate , a tax levied on parishioners for the maintenance of the church and its services. -- Church session . See under Session . -- Church triumphant . See under Triumphant . -- Church work , work on, or in behalf of, a church; the work of a particular church for the spread of religion. -- Established church , the church maintained by the civil authority; a state church.

Church transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Churched ; present participle & verbal noun Churching .] To bless according to a prescribed form, or to unite with in publicly returning thanks in church, as after deliverance from the dangers of childbirth; as, the churching of women.

Church modes (Mus.) The modes or scales used in ancient church music. See Gregorian .

Church-ale noun A church or parish festival (as in commemoration of the dedication of a church), at which much ale was used. Wright. Nares.

Church-bench noun A seat in the porch of a church. Shak.

Church-haw noun [ Church + haw a yard.] Churchyard. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Churchdom noun The institution, government, or authority of a church. [ R.] Bp. Pearson.

Churchgoer noun One who attends church.

Churchgoing adjective
1. Habitually attending church.

2. Summoning to church.

The sound of the churchgoing bell.
Cowper.

Churchism noun Strict adherence to the forms or principles of some church organization; sectarianism.

Churchless adjective Without a church. T. Fuller.

Churchlike adjective Befitting a church or a churchman; becoming to a clergyman. Shak.

Churchliness noun Regard for the church.

Churchly adjective Pertaining to, or suitable for, the church; ecclesiastical.

Churchman noun ; plural Churchmen .
1. An ecclesiastic or clergyman.

2. An Episcopalian, or a member of the Established Church of England. "A zealous churchman ." Macaulay.

3. One was is attached to, or attends, church.

Churchmanly adjective Pertaining to, or becoming, a churchman. Milman.

Churchmanship noun The state or quality of being a churchman; attachment to the church.

Churchship noun State of being a church. South.

Churchwarden noun
1. One of the officers (usually two) in an Episcopal church, whose duties vary in different dioceses, but always include the provision of what is necessary for the communion service.

2. A clay tobacco pipe, with a long tube. [ Slang, Eng.]

There was a small wooden table placed in front of the smoldering fire, with decanters, a jar of tobacco, and two long churchwardens .
W. Black.