1. In the Anglican and other churches, a musical setting for the choral recitation of psalms.
2. Ritual singing in various religious traditions, in which extant texts, not necessarily metrical, are set to melody. Rhythm is not fully notated, but is governed by relatively free interpretation of sentence structures.
3. In everyday use, a group declamation based on strongly accented rhythms, with only a hint of melody. Usually conveying a concise message, as in football chants, or political chants.
