Chām'ber1, n.
[Fr. chambre, O. Fr. cambre, Pr. & O. Sp. cambra, N. Sp. & Pg. camara, It. camera, from Lat. camara, camera, vault, arched roof, Gr. καμάρα, any thing with a vaulted roof or arched covering; Ger. kammer. Cf. CAMBER.]
Sense 1. A retired room, especially an upper room, used for lodging, privacy, or study. “A bachelor life in chambers.” Thackeray.
Sense 2. A compartment or hollow, closed space; as, the chamber of a furnace; the chamber of the eye.
Sense 3. A place where an assembly meets, and the assembly itself, applied particularly to legislative and judicial bodies; as, chamber of accounts, chamber of peers, &c.
Sense 4. (pl.) (Law.) A private place where a judge sits to hear and determine cases, and do such business of the court as may be done out of the court.
Sense 5. (Mil.) (a.) That part of the bore of a piece of ordnance, especially a mortar, where the powder lies. (b.) A cavity in a mine, usually of a cubical form, to contain the powder. (c.) A short piece of ordnance or cannon, which stood on its breech, without any carriage, formerly used chiefly for rejoicings and theatrical cannonades.
Chamber of commerce, a board to protect the interests of commerce, chosen from among the merchants and traders of a city.— To sit at chambers, to hear cases, or do business in chambers, as a judge.