Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The rectangular, usually steel frame, supported on springs and attached to the axles, that holds the body and motor of an automotive vehicle.
  • noun The landing gear of an aircraft, including the wheels, skids, floats, and other structures that support the aircraft on land or water.
  • noun The frame on which a gun carriage moves forward and backward.
  • noun The framework to which the components of a radio, television, or other electronic devices are attached.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A kind of traversing frame or movable railway, on which the carriages of guns move backward and forward in action.
  • noun In fortification, the foundation-frame or bed-plate upon which a gun-carriage is supported or adjusted.
  • noun The frame of a motor-car or motor-vehicle, exclusive of the seats or body.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Mil.) A traversing base frame, or movable railway, along which the carriage of a barbette or casemate gun moves backward and forward. [See gun carriage.]
  • noun The under part of an automobile or other motor vehicle, consisting of the frame (on which the body is mounted) with the wheels and machinery.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A base frame, or movable railway, along which the carriage of a mounted gun moves backward and forward.
  • noun The base frame of a motor vehicle.
  • noun A frame or housing containing electrical or mechanical equipment, such as on a computer.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun the skeleton of a motor vehicle consisting of a steel frame supported on springs that holds the body and motor
  • noun alternative names for the body of a human being
  • noun a metal mounting for the circuit components of an electronic device

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[French châssis, frame, from Old French, from Vulgar Latin *capsīcium, from Latin capsa, box.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From French châssis, from Latin capsa ("case").

Support

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Examples

  • But he makes a few incisive edits to the camera's body — tidies it up visually — and mills the chassis from a solid block of titanium.

    Style Meets Substance 2010

  • The chassis is manufactured from carbon fibre with aluminum honeycomb with integrated fuel tanks for optimal weight distribution and safety.

    Exclusive: Koenigsegg Agera - GTSPIRIT.COM 2010

  • The truck's ground clearance, the distance between the road and its chassis, is 8.2 inches.

    A short story about reaching lofty heights Warren Brown 2010

  • By the early 1900s, the Rolls Royce quickly outpaced its competitors as the motorcar for the wealthy and sophisticated – no doubt because of its costliness (the average price of a car in chassis form was around £650 and the Silver Ghost cost ₤1,154!) – and the series of motor trials which convinced those who took up the automobile for sporting purposes that the Rolls Royce was reliable, looked good and drove fast.

    The Spirit of Ecstasy | Edwardian Promenade 2008

  • The Bum Bot was built out mainly out of recycled parts -- its chassis is the base from a motor scooter and the top of an old meat smoker.

    Bar owner builds "Bum Bot" 2008

  • If they strip the car and the chassis is recovered they pay nothing because only PART of the car was stolen.

    Buying a car in Mexico 2005

  • The 370z chassis is shorter than the 350z meaning we could see some engine swaps here and there.

    Safat: The KuwaitBlogs' Aggregator 2008

  • The 370z chassis is shorter than the 350z meaning we could see some engine swaps here and there.

    Safat: The KuwaitBlogs' Aggregator 2008

  • In most cases, the chassis is the familiar "open end" mutual fund.

    Is an ETF Really a Fund? Maybe Not. Ari I. Weinberg 2010

  • That feeling is produced by the cockpit-like design and the nimble driving dynamics that Mazda, a unit of Ford Motor Co., has been able to coax out of the chassis, which is also used in the Ford Edge.

    Mazda's CX-9 Crossover 2008

Comments

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  • What?! WeirdNet strikes again!

    January 15, 2008

  • Weird....

    January 15, 2008

  • I'm totally using that definition from now on!

    January 15, 2008

  • Fair enough.

    "I see my body just as a classy chassis to carry my mind around in." — Sylvester Stallone

    January 16, 2008

  • Stallone sees it that way? Forget it. I'll never use this word again. ;-)

    January 16, 2008