2
general::
noun piece of furniture ADJ. comfortable, comfy, cushioned, padded, plush, soft, upholstered | hard, uncomfortable | deep, low | high-backed, straight-backed, wing-backed, winged | rush-seated, tubular | rickety | reclining, swivel He lay back in the reclining chair and went to sleep. She returned to the swivel chair behind her desk. | folding | matching a dining table and four matching chairs | empty ‘Please, be my guest.’ He gestured towards an empty chair. | antique | mahogany, plastic, steel, wooden | dining, fireside, kitchen QUANT. row | set a set of antique mahogany dining chairs VERB + CHAIR draw up, pull up ‘Can I join you?’‘Yes, pull up a chair.’ | pull out He pulled out a chair for her. | have, take Come in and take a chair. | give sb He gave her his chair. | push back He pushed back his chair and got to his feet. | collapse into/onto, flop (back/down) in/into/on/onto, lower yourself into, settle (back) in/into/on, sink (back/down) into, slump (back/down) in/into, sit (down) in/on She dropped her bags and flopped down into the nearest chair. | lean back in, lie back in, lounge (back) in, recline (back) in, relax (back) in, sprawl/be sprawled in He put his feet up on the desk and lay back in his chair. | lean forward in | straighten (up) in They straightened in their chairs when the manager burst in. | get out of, get up from/off, jump (up) from/out of, leap out of/from, rise from He got up from his chair to address the meeting. | rock backwards and forwards in/on, shift (about) in, tip back He was shifting about uneasily in his chair. She tipped her chair back and fixed her gaze full upon him. | swivel (on), swivel (round) in She swivelled round in her chair and picked up the phone. CHAIR + VERB be placed, stand A chair stood facing the window. | swivel | fall over, tip up, topple over | creak The chair creaked every time I moved. CHAIR + NOUN arm, back, leg, seat | cover, frame | lift A chair lift carried us to the top of the ski run. PREP. into a/the ~ He sank into his chair and opened the letter. | in a/the ~ She leaned back in her chair and lit a cigarette. | on a/the ~ A cat was asleep on the chair. PHRASES the arm/back/edge/leg of a chair She gripped the arm of her chair as she spoke. He sat nervously on the edge of his chair.ARMCHAIR person controlling a meeting ADJ. acting, deputy VERB + CHAIR occupy, take Anne took the chair (= was chairperson) in Carol's absence. | address (sth to) Please address your questions to the chair. | appoint sb (as), elect sb (as) PREP. in the ~ Paul Ryan was in the chair (= was chairman) at today's meeting. position of university professor ADJ. professorial VERB + CHAIR hold, occupy He held the Chair of Botany at Cambridge University for thirty years. | appoint sb to | relinquish, resign | endow, establish A private benefactor endowed the new Chair of Japanese Literature.
4
general::
chair verbs sit in/on a chair • She sat in her favourite chair. pull/draw up a chair (= move a chair nearer someone or something ) • Pull up a chair and look at these pictures. take a chair (= sit down in one in a particular place ) • Brian took a chair beside his wife. lean back in your chair • He leant back in his chair and took out his pipe. sink/slump/flop into a chair (= sit down in one in a tired or unhappy way ) • Greg groaned and sank into his chair. collapse in/into a chair (= sit down suddenly because you are very tired or upset ) • Eileen collapsed into a chair and burst out crying. get up from your chair ( also rise from your chair formal ) • He got up from his chair and walked to the window. jump up from your chair (= get up quickly ) • ‘Look at the time!’ she cried, jumping up from her chair. push back your chair (= in order to get up ) • He pushed back his chair and stood up. lounge in a chair (= sit in one in a very relaxed way ) • Everyone was outside, lounging in chairs in the sun. adjectives a comfortable chair ( also a comfy chair informal ) • The hotel had a TV room with some nice comfy chairs. a hard chair (= not comfortable ) • I sat on a hard chair in the corridor and waited. an empty chair (= with no one using it ) • She came and sat in an empty chair beside me. a wooden/plastic/leather etc chair • In the kitchen was a table with six wooden chairs around it. a folding chair (= one which you can fold so it is flat ) • People were sitting on blankets or folding chairs, listening to the outdoor concert. chair + NOUN a chair leg/arm/back/seat • The chair leg has broken.