English · Idiom Historical

hence the chairman himself

Preserved but no longer current.

Meaning · English

When debaters call out "Chair," they mean that the chairman is not properly supported, and his words not obeyed as they ought to be. Another form of the same expression is, "Pray support the Chair.

Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)

Sources & notes

Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.

Topics: Historical slang (1800s)

Common questions

What does “hence the chairman himself” mean?

When debaters call out "Chair," they mean that the chairman is not properly supported, and his words not obeyed as they ought to be. Another form of the same expression is, "Pray support the Chair.

Is “hence the chairman himself” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.

👁 Views 0 today 0 past 7 days 0 this month 0 all time