watch chain
1
2.8
- noun
- Archaic
:
cadena de reloj
- It was Mr. Wynant's watch chain.
- gold watch chain
- vest with watch chain
- watch chain hanging
And finally, I guess they they had a pocket watch chain in the in the costume, which is nice.
- And finally, I guess they they had a pocket watch chain in the in the costume, which is nice.
Examples
-
He fingered the boar's tooth on his watch chain, pulled out his watch, and snapped it open.
Fiction book (1993) -
I spotted Monaghan in his usual garb of derby hat, vest, watch chain, and jumper, watching the roundhouse hostler spinning our engine on the turntable.
Fiction book (1999) -
The professor keeps it on his watch chain.
-
Della: Might I see that watch chain?
Fiction book (2001) -
Joe Crown dropped his hand to his watch chain and rubbed some kind of animal tooth hanging there.
Fiction book (1993) -
He left Wynant's watch chain in her hand.
-
Jenkins was a big man with a wide, florid waistcoat and an old-fashioned watch chain.
Fiction book (1992) -
And the old man sat in his armchair with his watch chain and his penny glasses, his pipe in his mouth and the little black mustache.
Fiction book (1995) -
In 1867, Fantin painted Manet standing in his elegant coat and top hat, his gold watch chain hanging from his waistcoat and his cane clasped in his gloved hands.
Academic text (2007) -
A silver watch chain dangled across his waistcoat.
Synonyms
5
9.7
A small chain or ornament attached to a pocket watch
A short chain or ribbon that clips a pocket watch to clothing
How Secure
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a short chain or ribbon used to attach a pocket watch to a vest' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'watch' (a timepiece) with 'chain' (connected rings for support). This literal noun+noun composition reflects the item's physical function and is cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
The noun watch chain comes from a small chain or ribbon used to attach a watch to a vest or jacket so it would not fall out of a pocket. Because people saw the little link holding the timepiece, the short decorative chain became known simply as a 'watch chain'.