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Webster 1913 Edition

Check

Check

(chĕk)
,
Noun.
[OE.
chek
, OF.
eschec
, F.
échec
, a stop, hindrance, orig. check in the game of chess, pl.
échecs
chess, through Ar., fr. Pers.
shāh
king. See
Shah
, and cf.
Checkmate
,
Chess
,
Checker
.]
1.
(Chess)
A word of warning denoting that the king is in danger; such a menace of a player’s king by an adversary's move as would, if it were any other piece, expose it to immediate capture. A king so menaced is said to be in check, and must be made safe at the next move.
2.
A condition of interrupted or impeded progress; arrest; stop; delay;
as, to hold an enemy in
check
.
Which gave a remarkable
check
to the first progress of Christianity.
Addison.
No
check
, no stay, this streamlet fears.
Wordsworth.
3.
Whatever arrests progress, or limits action; an obstacle, guard, restraint, or rebuff.
Useful
check
upon the administration of government.
Washington.
A man whom no
check
could abash.
Macaulay.
4.
A mark, certificate, or token, by which, errors may be prevented, or a thing or person may be identified;
as,
checks
placed against items in an account; a
check
given for baggage; a return
check
on a railroad
.
5.
A written order directing a bank or banker to pay money as therein stated. See
Bank check
, below.
6.
A woven or painted design in squares resembling the patten of a checkerboard; one of the squares of such a design; also, cloth having such a figure.
7.
(Falconry)
The forsaking by a hawk of its proper game to follow other birds.
8.
Small chick or crack.
Syn. – Hindrance; setback; interruption; obstruction; reprimand; censure; rebuke; reproof; repulse; rebuff; tally; counterfoil; counterbalance; ticket; draft.

Check

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Checked
(chĕkt)
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
checking
.]
1.
(Chess)
To make a move which puts an adversary's piece, esp. his king, in check; to put in check.
So many clogs to
check
and retard the headlong course of violence and oppression.
Burke.
4.
To chide, rebuke, or reprove.
The good king, his master, will
check
him for it.
Shakespeare
5.
(Naut.)
To slack or ease off, as a brace which is too stiffly extended.
6.
To make checks or chinks in; to cause to crack;
as, the sun
checks
timber
.
Syn. – To restrain; curb; bridle; repress; control; hinder; impede; obstruct; interrupt; tally; rebuke; reprove; rebuff.

Check

(chĕk)
,
Verb.
I.
To make a stop; to pause; – with at.
The mind, once jaded by an attempt above its power, either is disabled for the future, or else
checks
at any vigorous undertaking ever after.
Locke.
2.
To clash or interfere.
[R.]
Bacon.
3.
To act as a curb or restraint.
It [his presence]
checks
too strong upon me.
Dryden.
4.
To crack or gape open, as wood in drying; or to crack in small checks, as varnish, paint, etc.
5.
(Falconry)
To turn, when in pursuit of proper game, and fly after other birds.
And like the haggard,
check
at every feather
That comes before his eye.
Shakespeare

Check

,
Adj.
Checkered; designed in checks.

Webster 1828 Edition

Check

CHECK

, v.t.
1.
To stop; to restrain; to hinder; to curb. It signifies to put an entire stop to motion, or to restrain its violence, and cause an abatement; to moderate.
2.
To rebuke; to chide or reprove.
3.
To compare any paper with its counterpart or with a cipher, with a view to ascertain its authenticity; to compare corresponding papers; to control by a counter-register.
4.
In seamenship, to ease of a little of a rope, which is too stiffly extended; also, to stopper the cable.

CHECK

, v.i.
1.
To stop; to make a stop; with at.
The mid checks at any vigorous undertaking.
2.
To clash or interfere.
I love to check with business.
3.
To strike with repression.

CHECK

,
Noun.
1.
A stop; hindrance; rebuff; sudden restraint, or continued restraint; curb; control; government.
2.
That which stops or restrains, as reproof, reprimand, rebuke, slight or disgust, fear, apprehension, a person; any stop or obstruction.
3.
In falconry, when a hawk forsakes her proper game, to follow rooks, pies, or other fowls, that cross her in her flight.
4.
The correspondent cipher of a bank note; a corresponding indenture; any counter-register.
5.
A term in chess, when one party obliges the other either to move or guard his king.
6.
An order for money, drawn on a banker or on the cashier of a bank, payable to the bearer.
This is a sense derived from that in definition 4.
7.
In popular use, checkered cloth; check, for checkered.
Check or check-roll, a roll or book containing the names of persons who are attendants and in the pay of a king or great personage, as domestic servants.
Clerk of the check, in the British Kings household, has the check and control of the yeomen of the guard, and all the ushers belonging to the royal family, the care of the watch, &c.
Clerk of the check, in the British Royal Dock-Yards, is an officer who keeps a register of all the men employed on board his majestys ships and vessels, and of all the artificers in the service of the navy, at the port where he is settled.

Definition 2024

check

check

English

Noun

check ‎(plural checks)

  1. (chess) A situation in which the king is directly threatened by an opposing piece.
  2. An inspection or examination.
    I don't know if she will be there, but it's worth a check.
  3. A control; a limit or stop.
    checks and balances
    The castle moat should hold the enemy in check.
    • Addison
      a remarkable check to the first progress of Christianity
  4. (US) A mark (especially a checkmark: ✓) used as an indicator, equivalent to a tick (UK).
    Place a check by the things you have done.
  5. (US) An order to a bank to pay money to a named person or entity; a cheque (UK, Canada).
    I was not carrying cash, so I wrote a check for the amount.
  6. (US) A bill, particularly in a restaurant.
    I summoned the waiter, paid the check, and hurried to leave.
  7. (contact sports) A maneuver performed by a player to take another player out of the play.
    The hockey player gave a good hard check to obtain the puck.
  8. A token used instead of cash in gaming machines.
    • 1963, American law reports annotated: second series (volume 89)
      […] the statute prohibits a machine which dispenses checks or tokens for replay […]
  9. A lengthwise separation through the growth rings in wood.
  10. A mark, certificate, or token, by which, errors may be prevented, or a thing or person may be identified.
    a check given for baggage; a return check on a railroad
  11. (falconry) The forsaking by a hawk of its proper game to follow other birds.
  12. A small chink or crack.
Synonyms
Derived terms
  • See below
Descendants
Translations

Verb

check ‎(third-person singular simple present checks, present participle checking, simple past and past participle checked)

  1. To inspect; to examine.
    Check the oil in your car once a month.
    Check whether this page has a watermark.
  2. To mark with a checkmark.
    Check the correct answer to each question.
  3. To control, limit, or halt.
    Check your enthusiasm during a negotiation.
    • Burke
      so many clogs to check and retard the headlong course of violence and oppression
    • 1922, James Joyce, Ulysses Chapter 13
      She was about to retort but something checked the words on her tongue.
  4. To verify or compare with a source of information.
    Check your data against known values.
  5. To leave in safekeeping.
    Check your hat and coat at the door.
  6. To leave with a shipping agent for shipping.
    Check your bags at the ticket counter before the flight.
  7. (street basketball) 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.
    He checked the ball and then proceeded to perform a perfect layup.
    That basket doesn't count—you forgot to check!
  8. (contact sports) To hit another player with one's body.
    The hockey player checked the defenceman to obtain the puck.
  9. (poker) To remain in a hand without betting. Only legal if no one has yet bet.
    Tom didn't think he could win, so he checked.
  10. (chess) To make a move which puts an adversary's piece, especially the king, in check; to put in check.
  11. To chide, rebuke, or reprove.
    • Shakespeare
      The good king, his master, will check him for it.
  12. (nautical) To slack or ease off, as a brace which is too stiffly extended.
  13. To crack or gape open, as wood in drying; or to crack in small checks, as varnish, paint, etc.
  14. To make checks or chinks in; to cause to crack.
    The sun checks timber.
  15. To make a stop; to pause; with at.
    • John Locke
      The mind, once jaded by an attempt above its power, either is disabled for the future, or else checks at any vigorous undertaking ever after.
  16. (obsolete) To clash or interfere.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Francis Bacon to this entry?)
  17. To act as a curb or restraint.
    • Dryden
      It [his presence] checks too strong upon me.
  18. (falconry) To turn, when in pursuit of proper game, and fly after other birds.
    • Shakespeare
      And like the haggard, check at every feather / That comes before his eye.
Derived terms
  • See below
Translations

Derived terms

Etymology 2

By shortening from checker, from Old French eschequier ‎(“chessboard”), from Medieval Latin scaccarium, ultimately from the same Persian root as above.

Noun

check ‎(plural checks)

  1. (textiles, usually pluralized) A pattern made up of a grid of squares of alternating colors; a checkered pattern.
    The tablecloth had red and white checks.
Translations

References

Dutch

Pronunciation

Verb

check

  1. first-person singular present indicative of checken
  2. imperative of checken

Swedish

Pronunciation

Noun

check c

  1. cheque, check

Declension

Inflection of check 
Singular Plural
Indefinite Definite Indefinite Definite
Nominative check checken checkar checkarna
Genitive checks checkens checkars checkarnas

Etymology

From Middle English chek, chekke, from Old French eschek, eschec, eschac, from Medieval Latin scaccus, from Arabic شَاه ‎(šāh), from Persian شاه ‎(šâh, “king”), from Middle Persian 𐭬𐭫𐭪𐭠 ‎(šāh), from Old Persian 𐏋 ‎(xšāyaθiya, “king”), from Proto-Indo-Iranian *ksayati ‎(“he rules, he has power over”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *tke- ‎(“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.

Pronunciation

  • enPR: chĕk, IPA(key): /tʃɛk/
  • Rhymes: -ɛk
  • Homophones: cheque, Czech

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