daisy-chain

See also: daisychain and daisy chain

English

WOTD – 4 February 2025

Etymology

The verb is derived from daisy chain (noun).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈdeɪzit͡ʃeɪn/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈdeɪziˌt͡ʃeɪn/

• Audio (General American):

  (file)

Verb

daisy-chain (third-person singular simple present daisy-chains, present participle daisy-chaining, simple past and past participle daisy-chained)

1. (transitive)
   1. (business) To artificially increase (the price of a commodity; originally crude oil, especially in a single shipment) by a group of dealers buying and selling it among themselves before it is sold to a party outside the group.
   2. (chiefly computing, electronics) To connect (several computer devices or peripherals, or other components) in sequence with each other, usually such that the output of one component forms the input of another; also (followed by to), to connect (a computer device, peripheral, or other component) to another component in such a sequence.

      We daisy-chained several USB hubs to see if we could reach the far side of the room.

      • 2021 November 3, “Network News: Lifting Jacks for SWR”, in Rail, number 943, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire: Bauer Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 29:

        The jacks can be ‘daisy-chained’ and controlled as a synchronised set.

2. (intransitive)
   1. Of people, animals, etc.: to position in a line and move like a chain.
   2. (business) To artificially increase the price of a commodity (originally crude oil, especially in a single shipment) by a group of dealers buying and selling it among themselves before it is sold to a party outside the group.
   3. (chiefly computing, electronics) Especially of a computer device, peripheral, or other component: to be capable of being connected with other components in sequence.

      These peripherals are designed to daisy-chain easily with each other.

Alternative forms

• daisychain, daisy chain

Derived terms

• daisy-chained (adjective)
• daisy-chaining (noun)

Translations

(transitive, intransitive) to artificially increase (the price of a commodity) by a group of dealers buying and selling it among themselves before it is sold to a party outside the group

• Finnish: myydä edestakaisin hinnan nostamiseksi
• Macedonian: please add this translation if you can

to connect (several computer components) in sequence with each other; to connect (a computer component) to another component in such a sequence

• Finnish: ketjuttaa
• French: connecter (fr) en série (fr)
• Macedonian: please add this translation if you can

of people, animals, etc.: to position in a line and move like a chain

• Finnish: liikkua jonossa, liikkua ketjuna
• Macedonian: please add this translation if you can

especially of a computer component: to be capable of being connected with other components in sequence

• Finnish: ketjuttua
• Macedonian: please add this translation if you can

Noun

daisy-chain (plural daisy-chains)

1. Alternative form of daisy chain