the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English
n. The force exerted between the atoms of elementary substance whereby they unite to form chemical compounds; chemical attaction; affinity; -- sometimes used as a general expression for chemical activity or relationship.
The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
n. Chemical power, influence, or effects.
Word Usage
"He always carried a paper bag of them in his pocket, and he had a way of saying frequently that the chemism of his nature demanded such fare."