chain mail

Definitions

1. A flexible defensive armor, made of a mesh of interlinked metal rings.
   uncountable, usually
2. A chain letter.
   collective, countable, sometimes, uncountable

Equivalents

Examples

“Chain mail is formed by a number⟳ of iron⟳ rings, each ring⟳ having four others inserted into it, the whole exhibiting a kind of net work⟳, with circular meshes, every ring⟳ separately rivetted; this kind of mail answers to that worn on the ancient breast plates, whence they were denominated loricæ hammatæ, from the rings being hooked together.”

“A few broken broadswords, a helmet and a couple of chain mails preserved in museums are all the relics of those far-off times.”

“Chain mails were also sometimes attached to the back of Viking helmets to protect⟳ the neck.”

“They wore chain mails over simple brown tunics, war paint⟳ still covered their faces in simple streaks, and their long dark hair hung in pony-tails that wrapped about their shoulders or hung down their backs.”

CEFR level