† chiurm, chiorm Obs.
[a. F. chiourme, 16–18th c., also chiorme, ad. It. ciurma, Genoese ciusma, Sp. chusma. Ulterior origin doubtful: see Littré and Diez.]
A crew or gang of slaves rowing a galley; also contemptuous ‘crew’, ‘gang’.
| [c 1645 Howell Letters I. i. 22 He went aboard the Cape Gallie..passing through the Churma of slaves.] 1655 Theophania 85 The Chiorm..consisted of twenty Banks, and twenty Slaves on a Bank. 1692 tr. Sallust, To Rdr., That insipid clutter which that impertinent and trifling Chiurm of Pedants make, that call themselves Expositors. a 1734 North Life Sir D. North (1744) 59 Being well acquainted with..a Bey of a Galley, he procured of him a String of Slaves out of his Chiurm..to work in his building [margin Served by a Chiurm of Galley Slaves]. |