Obs. [a. F. chiourme, 16–18th c., also chiorme, ad. It. ciurma, Genoese ciusma, Sp. chusma. Ulterior origin doubtful: see Littré and Diez.] A crew or gang of slaves rowing a galley; also contemptuous ‘crew,’ ‘gang.’
[c. 1645. Howell, Letters, I. i. 22. He went aboard the Cape Gallie … passing through the Churma of slaves.]
1655. Theophania, 85. The Chiorm … consisted of twenty Banks, and twenty Slaves on a Bank.
1692. trans. Sallust, To Rdr. That insipid clutter which that impertinent and trifling Chiurm of Pedants make, that call themselves Expositors.
a. 1734. North, Life Sir D. North (1744), 59. Being well acquainted with … a Bey of a Galley, he procured of him a String of Slaves out of his Chiurm … to work in his building [margin Served by a Chiurm of Galley Slaves].
