chapter

noun

1. One of the main sections into which a published work is divided, especially a book.

   “Detective novel writers try to keep up the suspense until the last chapter.”

   “At her invitation he outlined for her the succeeding chapters with terse military accuracy ; and what she liked best and best understood was avoidance of that false modesty which condescends, turning technicality into pabulum.”

   “The story that unfolds through 70 chapters featuring intense tactical battles is full of plot twists and turns.”

2. One of the main sections into which a published work is divided, especially a book.

   “CHAPTER - One of the principal divisions of a book, and, in reference to the Bible, one of the larger sections into which its books are divided. This division, as well as that consisting of verses, was introduced to facilitate reference, and not to indicate any natural or accurate division of the subjects treated in the books.”

   “At least thirty-two of the first forty-seven decretal chapters were received by English ecclesiastics,”

   “il conclut: « No pope, no collection but the masters who served the one and commented on the other ultimately determined the content of this decretal chapter».”

   “While rubrics do not appear in paper manuscripts, eight paper manuscripts contain chapter titles, which serve the same function as the medieval rubrics.”

3. Certain ecclesiastical bodies (under canon law)
4. Certain ecclesiastical bodies (under canon law)
5. Certain ecclesiastical bodies (under canon law)
6. A section of a social body.
7. A section of a social body.

   “If the By-Law which admits honorary members is silent upon their rights, they may perhaps be determined by a consideration of which of these classes was intended by the Chapter in admitting them”

8. A meeting of a chapter of certain organized societies or orders.
9. A chapter house
10. A sequence (of events), especially when presumed related and likely to continue.

    “1866, Wilkie Collins, Armadale, Book the Last, Chapter I, "You know that Mr. Armadale is alive," pursued the doctor, "and you know that he is coming back to England. Why do you continue to wear your widow's dress?" ¶ She answered him without an instant's hesitation, steadily going on with her work. ¶ "Because I am of a sanguine disposition, like you. I mean to trust to the chapter of accidents to the very last. Mr. Armadale may die yet, on his way home."”

    “[…]she determined to go on slowly towards Castra Regis, and trust to the chapter of accidents to pick up the trail again.”

    “A chapter of locomotive history was closed on Sunday, April 13, when the last Atlantic tender locomotive to remain in service on British Railways, No. 32424, Beachy Head, ended its working life of more than 46 years.”

    “With the entry into service of the '777s', a new chapter opens in the long history of Merseyside's electric suburban railwsys.”

11. (obsolete)A location or compartment.

    “In his bosom! In what chapter of his bosom?”

12. A prescribed reading at one of the canonical hours.

verb

1. To divide into chapters.
2. To put into a chapter.
3. To use administrative procedure to remove someone.

   “If you're a single parent [soldier] and you can't find someone to take care of your children, they will chapter you out [administrative elimination from the service]. And yet if you use someone not certified, they get mad.”

   “"He also wanted me to give you a message. He said that if you don't get your shit ready for this deployment, then he will chapter you out of his freakin' army."”

4. (transitive)To take to task.