||Cha`teau" (?), n.; pl. Chateux (#). [F. chÔteau a castle. See Castle.] 1. A castle or a fortress in France.
2. A manor house or residence of the lord of the manor; a gentleman's country seat; also, particularly, a royal residence; as, the chateau of the Louvre; the chateau of the Luxembourg.
&fist; The distinctive, French term for a fortified castle of the middle ages is chÔteau-fort.
||Chateau en Espagne (&?;) [F.], a castle in Spain, that is, a castle in the air, Spain being the region of romance.
Chat"e*laine (?), n. [F. chÔtelaine the wife of a castellan, the mistress of a chateau, a chatelaine chain.] An ornamental hook, or brooch worn by a lady at her waist, and having a short chain or chains attached for a watch, keys, trinkets, etc. Also used adjectively; as, a chatelaine chain.
Chat"e*let (?), n. [F. chÔtelet, dim. of chÔteau. See Castle.] A little castle.
Chat"el*la*ny (?), n. [F. chÔtellenie.] Same as Castellany.
||Cha`ti" (?), n. [Cf. F. chat cat.] (Zo÷l.) A small South American species of tiger cat (Felis mitis).
Cha*toy"ant (?), a. [F., p. pr. of chatoyer to be chatoyant, fr. chat cat.] (Min.) Having a changeable, varying luster, or color, like that of a changeable silk, or oa a cat's eye in the dark.
Cha*toy"ant, n. (Min.) A hard stone, as the cat's-eye, which presents on a polished surface, and in the interior, an undulating or wary light.
Cha*toy"ment (?), n. [F. chatoiement. See Chatoyant.] Changeableness of color, as in a mineral; play of colors. Cleaceland.
Chat"tel (?), n. [OF. chatel; another form of catel. See Cattle.] (Law) Any item of movable or immovable property except the freehold, or the things which are parcel of it. It is a more extensive term than goods or effects.
&fist; Chattels are personal or real: personal are such as are movable, as goods, plate, money; real are such rights in land as are less than a freehold, as leases, mortgages, growing corn, etc.
Chattel mortgage (Law), a mortgage on personal property, as distinguished from one on real property.
Chat"tel*ism (?), n. The act or condition of holding chattels; the state of being a chattel.
Chat"ter (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Chattered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Chattering.] [Of imitative origin. Cf. Chat, v. i. Chitter.] 1. To utter sounds which somewhat resemble language, but are inarticulate and indistinct.
The jaw makes answer, as the magpie chatters.
Wordsworth.