check

Meanings

Noun

• A situation in which the king is directly threatened by an opposing piece.
• An inspection or examination.
• A control; a limit or stop.
• A mark (especially a checkmark: ) used as an indicator.
• An order to a bank to pay money to a named person or entity.
• A bill, particularly in a restaurant.
• A maneuver performed by a player to take another player out of the play.
• A token used instead of cash in gaming machines, or in gambling generally.
• A lengthwise separation through the growth rings in wood.
• A mark, certificate or token by which errors may be prevented, or a thing or person may be identified.
• The forsaking by a hawk of its proper game to follow other birds.
• A small chink or crack.
• A pattern made up of a grid of squares of alternating colors; a checkered pattern.
• Any fabric woven with such a pattern.

Verb

• To inspect; to examine.
• To verify the accuracy of a text or translation, usually making some corrections (proofread) or many (copyedit).
• To mark items on a list (with a checkmark or by crossing them out) that have been chosen for keeping or removal or that have been dealt with (for example, completed or verified as correct or satisfactory).
• To control, limit, or halt.
• To verify or compare with a source of information.
• To leave in safekeeping.
• To leave with a shipping agent for shipping.
• To pass or bounce the ball to an opponent from behind the three-point line and have the opponent pass or bounce it back to start play.
• To disrupt another player with the stick or body to obtain possession of the ball or puck.
• To remain in a hand without betting. Only legal if no one has yet bet.
• To make a move which puts an adversary's king in check; to put in check.
• To chide, rebuke, or reprove.
• To slack or ease off, as a brace which is too stiffly extended.
• To crack or gape open, as wood in drying; or to crack in small checks, as varnish, paint, etc.
• To make checks or chinks in; to cause to crack.
• To make a stop; to pause; with at.
• To clash or interfere.
• To act as a curb or restraint.
• To turn, when in pursuit of proper game, and fly after other birds.
• To mark with a check pattern.

Adjective

• Divided into small squares by transverse, perpendicular, and horizontal lines.

Related

Narrower meaning words

• bad check
• bed check
• body check
• bounce a check
• cashier's check
• counter check
• discovered check
• double check
• gut check
• hot check
• rain check
• reality check
• recheck
• revealed check
• shoulder check
• signal check
• stick check
• teller's check
• traveler's check

Origin

• From Middle English chek, chekke, borrowed from Old French eschek, eschec, eschac, from Medieval Latin scaccus, borrowed from Arabic شَاه ("king or check at chess, shah"), borrowed from Persian شاه ("king"), from Middle Persian 𐭬𐭫𐭪𐭠, from Old Persian 𐏋 ("king"), from Proto-Indo-Iranian *kšáyati ("he rules, he has power over"), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *tek- ("to gain power over, gain control over").
• All English senses developed from the chess sense. Compare Saterland Frisian Schak, Schach, Dutch schaak, German Schach, Danish skak, Swedish schack, Icelandic skák, French échec, Italian scacco. See chess and shah.
• From Middle English chekken, partly from Old French eschequier and partly from the noun (see above).
• By shortening from chequer, from Old French eschequier ("chessboard"), from Medieval Latin scaccarium, ultimately from the same Persian root as above.