ppl. a. [f. CHAMBER sb. and v. + -ED.]
1. Furnished with a chamber or chambers. Also in comb., as many-chambered, six-chambered. Chambered shell: see quot. 1847.
1382. Wyclif, Gen. vi. 16. Sowpyng placis, and thre chaumbred thow shalt make in it.
1483. Caxton, Descr. Brit., 16. A thre chambred hous made of vawte stones.
1611. Florio, s.v. Agucchia, To finde the thicknes of chambred peeces of the breach.
1845–6. Trench, Huls. Lect., Ser. I. iii. 55. This many-chambered palace of the Truth.
1847. Ansted, Anc. World, viii. 140. As the [Nautilus] grows in size, it from time to time builds off a cup-shaped wall upon the soft rounded surface of the hinder part of the body, leaving as it goes a space behind it, which is occupied only by air or some gaseous substance, and acts as a float. Proceeding in this way, and building a succession of these walls, there is ultimately formed what is called a chambered shell.
1858. Greener, Gunnery, 118. Although not a chambered gun, it will be seen … to be an attempt … to obtain uniformity of thickness in every part of the arc.
1882. St. James’s Gaz., 25 Feb., 11. A six-chambered revolver.
2. Shut up in a chamber.
a. 1529. Skelton, Image Hypocr., I. 413. Your closse-chambered drabbes.
1711. Shaftesb., Charac. (1737), III. 218. If they lay resty and out of their Game, chamber’d, and idle.
3. Having a cavity or hollow underneath.
1683. Lond. Gaz., No. 1810/4. A Sandy grey Gelding … a black Leather Saddle … Chambered for his Back. Ibid. (1710), No. 4746/4. A red Saddle with 4 Brass Nails, and Chamber’d just by the Chine Bone of the off Side.
† 4. = CAMBERED; bent like a bow, arched. Obs.
[1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), I. 353. Þey [the Irish] dryueþ hir hors wiþ a chambre ȝerde in þe ouer ende (virgam in superiori parte cameratam).]
1480. Caxton, Descr. Brit., 51. They driue their horses with a chambred yerd in the ouer ende in stede of bittes.
1616. Lane, Sq. Tale, IX. 67. Well plantes the gapps with chambred iron slinges.
