chime¹ / chīm/ • n. (often chimes) a bell or a metal bar or tube, typically one of a set tuned to produce a melodious series of ringing sounds when struck. ∎  a sound made by such an instrument: I hear the chimes of the hour from the courthouse. ∎  (chimes) a set of tuned metal rods used as an orchestral instrument. ∎  (chimes) a set of tuned bells used as a doorbell. ∎  Bell-ringing a stroke of the clapper against one or both sides of a scarcely moving bell.• v. [intr.] 1. (of a bell or clock) make melodious ringing sounds, typically to indicate the time. ∎  [tr.] (of a clock) make such sounds in order to indicate (the time): the clock chimed eight.2. be in agreement; harmonize: his poem chimes with our modern experience of loss.PHRASAL VERBS: chime in1. interject a remark.2. join in harmoniously.DERIVATIVES: chim·er n.chime² (also chimb) • n. the projecting rim at the end of a cask.

chime 1 †cymbal XIII; †apparatus for striking bells XV; set of bells or of sounds produced by them XVI; (musical) concord, harmony XVII. ME. chim(b)e prob. arose from chym(b)e bell (XIII–XV), which may have been an analysis of a ME. *chimbel :- OE. ċimbal — L. cymbalum CYMBAL.
So chime vb. †make a musical sound XIV; accord or join in harmoniously XVII.

chime 2, chimb projecting rim of a cask. XIV. prob. identical with the sb. occurring in OE. ċimstān base, pedestal, ċimīren clamp-iron, ċimbing joint, corr. to MDu, kimme (Du. kim) edge of a cask, MLG. kimme, kimm (whence G. kimme).

Chime

a peal of bells; a set of bells in a church tower.