Commerce \Com"merce\, n.
Note: (Formerly accented on the second syllable.) [F.
commerce, L. commercium; com- + merx, mercis,
merchandise. See Merchant.]
1. The exchange or buying and selling of commodities; esp.
the exchange of merchandise, on a large scale, between
different places or communities; extended trade or
traffic.
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The public becomes powerful in proportion to the
opulence and extensive commerce of private men.
--Hume.
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2. Social intercourse; the dealings of one person or class in
society with another; familiarity.
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Fifteen years of thought, observation, and commerce
with the world had made him [Bunyan] wiser.
--Macaulay.
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3. Sexual intercourse. --W. Montagu.
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4. A round game at cards, in which the cards are subject to
exchange, barter, or trade. --Hoyle.
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Chamber of commerce. See Chamber.
Syn: Trade; traffic; dealings; intercourse; interchange;
communion; communication.
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Chamber \Cham"ber\, n. [F. chambre, fr. L. camera vault, arched
roof, in LL. chamber, fr. Gr. ? anything with a vaulted roof
or arched covering; cf. Skr. kmar to be crooked. Cf.
Camber, Camera, Comrade.]
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1. A retired room, esp. an upper room used for sleeping; a
bedroom; as, the house had four chambers.
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2. pl. Apartments in a lodging house. "A bachelor's life in
chambers." --Thackeray.
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3. A hall, as where a king gives audience, or a deliberative
body or assembly meets; as, presence chamber; senate
chamber.
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4. A legislative or judicial body; an assembly; a society or
association; as, the Chamber of Deputies; the Chamber of
Commerce.
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5. A compartment or cell; an inclosed space or cavity; as,
the chamber of a canal lock; the chamber of a furnace; the
chamber of the eye.
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6. pl. (Law.) A room or rooms where a lawyer transacts
business; a room or rooms where a judge transacts such
official business as may be done out of court.
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7. A chamber pot. [Colloq.]
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8. (Mil.)
(a) That part of the bore of a piece of ordnance which
holds the charge, esp. when of different diameter from
the rest of the bore; -- formerly, in guns, made
smaller than the bore, but now larger, esp. in
breech-loading guns.
(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.
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Air chamber. See Air chamber, in the Vocabulary.
Chamber of commerce, a board or association to protect the
interests of commerce, chosen from among the merchants and
traders of a city.
Chamber council, a secret council. --Shak.
Chamber counsel or Chamber counselor, a counselor who
gives his opinion in private, or at his chambers, but does
not advocate causes in court.
Chamber fellow, a chamber companion; a roommate; a chum.
Chamber hangings, tapestry or hangings for a chamber.
Chamber lye, urine. --Shak.
Chamber music, vocal or instrumental music adapted to
performance in a chamber or small apartment or audience
room, instead of a theater, concert hall, or church.
Chamber practice (Law.), the practice of counselors at law,
who give their opinions in private, but do not appear in
court.
To sit at chambers, to do business in chambers, as a judge.
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