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to chair

64 4.8

To lead a meeting or committee

verb
/tʃɛr/

: presidir

All of our community advisory panels now have a facilitator who chairs and runs the panel.
chair a committee
chair a subcommittee
chair a meeting

And I attended, she asked me to chair the PhD defense for one of her students.

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Examples

Actively serving and especially chairing a committee makes the individual seem dedicated to a university and its causes.

Academic text (2011)
In our final session, which I will chair, we will be looking at possible subjects for next year's conference.

Academic text (1999)
And I attended, she asked me to chair the PhD defense for one of her students.

Lex Fridman
And you know that I chair the hiring and firing committee, right?

Bad Moms (2016)
And I, I'm delighted that she agreed to chair and introduce this panel.
I suggest that Alec chair the meeting.

Bloodline (1979)
On the other hand, I am going to chair the museum benefit thanks to you and your escapades.

The Bonfire of the Vanities (1990)
Canada is currently chairing a working party of key member countries to produce these guidelines.

Academic text (1999)
So I'm very pleased to be invited back to chair today's event.
I'm glad to be asked to chair the meeting next week.

Synonyms

to lead

vsto chair

∞ 1.0

To guide a group or be in charge

is specifically about acting as the meeting or organization leader

to preside

vsto chair

Formal

131 5.6

To be in charge of a formal meeting or group

is the common act of being in charge of a meeting

to moderate

vsto chair

39 5.3

To lead a discussion and keep it orderly

is broader and covers overall responsibility beyond keeping order

to officiate

vsto chair

Formal

7 6.5

To do the formal duties of a job or position

is specifically about running meetings rather than general official duties

to take the chair

vsto chair

3 5.6

Lead a meeting as the person in charge

is acting as the person in charge throughout meetings or events

to chairman

vsto chair

5.7

To lead a meeting or committee

is the general officer who runs meetings and organizations

to co-chair

vsto chair

4.1

To share the job of leading a meeting or committee with another person

is the single responsible person rather than a shared role

Idioms

to take the chair

3 5.6

Lead a meeting as the person in charge

to fall off one's chair

Informal

1 6.4

To react strongly because something is very funny or surprising

Compounds

electric chair

NSFW

47 5.3

A chair used to put a person to death by sending electricity through their body

rocking chair

22 1.5

A chair that moves back and forth on curved legs

lawn chair

15 1.9

A light folding seat for sitting outside on grass

folding chair

14 1.0

A chair that can be made flat so you can carry or store it easily

vice chair

10 3.5

A person who helps lead a group and fills in for the chair when needed

easy chair

9 2.3

A large comfortable chair with arms and soft cushions for relaxing

lounge chair

8 2.6

A comfortable armchair with a back that leans and sometimes a footrest

beach chair

6 1.9

A folding chair with a cloth seat for sitting on the beach

deck chair

4 1.6

A folding outdoor chair with a wooden frame and a cloth seat used for sitting in the sun

swivel chair

4 2.8

A chair with a seat that turns around a fixed base

chair lift

3 3.4

Seats hanging from a moving overhead cable that carry people up a mountain

captain's chair

2 5.9

A wooden armchair with a curved seat and a low back with vertical bars

barber chair

2 1.9

A large adjustable chair with headrest and footrest used in a barbershop for haircuts and shaves

wing chair

2 4.4

A comfortable chair with a high back and side wings to keep you warm

reclining chair

2 2.7

An armchair with a back that tilts and a footrest that rises

overstuffed chair

2 3.4

A large soft armchair with very thick cushions and wide arms

dental chair

Specialized

1 3.2

A chair in a dentist's office that tilts and holds a patient during treatment

sedan chair

Archaic

1 9.9

An enclosed chair for one person that people used to carry on poles

side chair

1 3.4

A chair with a straight back and no arms placed beside a table

Eames chair

1 6.2

A stylish chair made of shaped plywood that fits the body

potty chair

Baby Talk

1 2.1

A small seat a child sits on to pee or poo when learning to use the toilet

camp chair

1 1.6

A small folding chair you use outdoors, for example when camping

fighting chair

Specialized

1 7.5

A strong fixed chair on a fishing boat that holds a person while they fight large fish

ladder-back chair

1 6.0

A wooden chair with a back made of several flat horizontal pieces

Morris chair

1 8.9

An armchair with a wooden frame, loose cushions, and a back that reclines

garden chair

1 1.3

A chair for sitting outside in a garden or on a lawn

straight chair

1 2.5

A seat with a straight back and no arms

Windsor chair

1 5.1

A wooden chair with a solid seat and a back of thin upright rods

bath chair

Offensive

9.9

A chair with wheels and a cover that a helper pushes to carry sick people at resorts

boatswain's chair

Specialized

9.8

A strong seat hung by ropes to hold a person working high on a ship

bosun's chair

Specialized

9.6

A seat hung from ropes that holds a person while they work high above, for example on a ship

chair car

Indian

5.6

A part of a train with comfortable individual seats for daytime travel that costs extra

chair of state

Formal

8.9

A special decorated chair used in ceremonies for a ruler or other important person

co-chair

3.5

A person who shares the job of leading a committee or meeting with another person

cuck chair

Slur

9.9

A seat used in online jokes to show someone embarrassed or admitting a mistake

death chair

NSFW

9.9

A chair used to kill a person with electricity

feeding chair

2.2

A tall chair with a tray for a baby or young child to sit at mealtime

footless chair

8.0

A seat that has no legs and sits close to the ground

tablet-armed chair

5.9

A chair with a flat arm that serves as a small desk

tippy chair

7.4

A chair that is unstable and easily falls over

yacht chair

5.5

A light folding chair with arms for sitting outdoors, often on a boat

How Authoritative

to preside

Formal

131 5.6

to chair

64 4.8

to moderate

39 5.3

to facilitate

Formal

187 4.9

to convene

Formal

45 5.7

Surface Forms

chair infinitive

chaired past

chaired past participle

chairing present participle

chairs third person singular

Etymology

Chair as a verb, to run or lead a meeting, comes from the same picture: to sit in the leader's 'seat' is to be in charge. So when you chair a meeting, you are the person leading it.