A.loose, flowing hair, “ζανθὴν ἀπεκείρατο χαίτην” Il.23.141; “τίλλοντό τε χαίτας” Od.10.567, cf. S.Aj.634 (lyr.): “χαίταν ἐλαίᾳ . . στεφανωσάμενον” B.10.28; pl., of a single person, “χαίτας πεζαμένη” Il. 14.175, cf. 10.15, Pi.N.1.14, B.16.105, etc.; χαίτα^ς (Dor. acc.) “ὑπὲπ κεφαλῆς” Tyrt.1.39 Diehl; used esp. of back hair, acc.to Ruf. Onom.14.
2. of a horse's mane, “θαλερὴ δ᾽ ἐμιαίνετο χαίτη” Il.17.439, cf. 19.405; “ἀμφὶ δὲ χαῖται ὤμοις ἀΐσσονται” 6.509, cf. X.Eq. 5.5, 7.1, Plu.Pel.22.
3. after Hom., of a lion's mane, E.Ph. 1121; ὅσα χαίτην ἔχει, ὥσπερ λέων, opp. ὅσα λοφιὰν ἔχει, ὥσπερ ἵππος, Arist.HA498b28, cf. PA658a31: but metaph., φρίξας λοφιᾶς λασιαύχενα χαίταν, of Aeschylus, Ar.Ra.822 (hex.).
4. crest of a helmet, Plu.Alex.16.
5. metaph. of trees, foliage, Call.Del.81: pl., Theoc.6.16, Anacreont.17/18.12; also “βύβλος . . ἐπ᾽ ἄκρῳ χαίτην ἔχουσα” Str.17.1.15. (Ambraciot word acc. to AB1095: not in Prose of human hair; cf. Avest. gaēsa- 'curly hair'.)