chancery

plural chanceries

1. countablehistoricaluncountableIn England, formerly, the highest court of judicature next to the Parliament, exercising jurisdiction at law, but chiefly in equity; but under the jurisdiction act of 1873 it became the chancery division of the High Court of Justice, and now exercises jurisdiction only in equity
2. UScountableuncountablelawA court of equity; equity; a proceeding in equity.

   Synonyms: chancery court

3. countableuncountableThe type of building that houses a diplomatic mission or embassy.

   The territorial expansion of the United States thus caused no great political stir in the chanceries of Europe.

   1975, Eric Hobsbawm, The Age of Capital. 1848-1875, published 1995, page 165

4. countableuncountableThe type of building that houses the offices and administration of a diocese; the offices of a diocese.
5. countablehistoricaluncountableIn the Middle Ages, a government office that produced and notarized official documents.
6. countableslanguncountableboxingThe position of a boxer's head when under his adversary's arm.

   The Chicken himself attributed this punishment to his having had the misfortune to get into Chancery early in the proceedings, when he was severely fibbed by the Larkey one, and heavily grassed.

   1846 October 1 – 1848 April 1, Charles Dickens, Dombey and Son, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1848, →OCLC

7. archaiccountableslanguncountableAny awkward predicament.
8. abbreviationcountableellipsisuncountablecommunicationsEllipsis of chancery hand.

1. not comparableboxingWith the head of an antagonist under one's arm, so that one can pommel it with the other fist at will.

   15th round. Chancery. Fibbing. Biggs makes dreadful work with his left. Break away. Rally. Biggs down. Betting still six to four on the gown-boy.

   1852, William Makepeace Thackeray, “The Fight at Slaughter House”, in Men's Wives, page 17

   1 more example

   [Round] 9. This was a scientific round on both sides; Acton got away well; and also parried some tremendous blows. The latter, however, received a chancery nobber; but he contended every inch of ground till he went down.

   1823 May 14, “Sporting Intelligence”, in The Literary Humbug, number 1, page 15, Between Peter Crawley and Dick Acton

2. figurativelynot comparableIn an awkward situation; wholly under the power of someone else.