Chiltern Hundreds: Meaning and Definition of

Chil'tern Hun'dreds

Pronunciation: (chil'turn), [key]
— Brit. Brit.
  1. certain crown lands, the stewardship of which is nominally bestowed on a member of the House of Commons to provide an excuse to resign, as members are not allowed to hold titular office from the crown.
  2. to resign or express a desire to resign from the House of Commons.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.