check
Part of speech: noun
verb
intj
Morphological type: simple
Topics: board-games
card-games
chess
falconry
games
hobbies
hunting
lifestyle
nautical
poker
sports
transport
Etymology: Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *tek-
Proto-Indo-Iranian *kšáyati
Proto-Iranian *xšáyati
Old Persian 𐏋 (XŠ)
Middle Persian 𐭬𐭫𐭪𐭠 (mlkʾ)
Classical Persian شاه (šāh)bor.
Arabic شَاه (šāh)bor.
Medieval Latin scaccusder.
Old French eschecbor.
Middle English chek
English check
From Middle English chek, chekke, borrowed from Old French eschec, eschek, eschac, from Medieval Latin scaccus, borrowed from Arabic شَاه (šāh, “king or check at chess, shah”), borrowed from Classical Persian شَاه (šāh, “king”), from Middle Persian 𐭬𐭫𐭪𐭠 (mlkʾ /⁠šāh⁠/), from Old Persian 𐏋 (XŠ /⁠xšāyaθiya⁠/, “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”).
Compare Saterland Frisian Schak, Schach, Dutch schaak, German Schach, Danish skak, Swedish schack, Icelandic skák, French échec, Italian scacco. Doublet of chess and shah (“king of Persia or Iran”), from the same source, as well as thig, which derives from the Germanic cognate.
All of the English senses developed from the chess sense.
Inflected forms:
form: checks
pos: noun
tags: plural
form: checks
pos: verb
tags: present
singular
third-person
form: checking
pos: verb
tags: participle
present
form: checked
pos: verb
tags: participle
past
form: checked
pos: verb
tags: past
form: no-table-tags
pos: verb
tags: table-tags
form: glossary
pos: verb
tags: inflection-template
form: check
pos: verb
tags: infinitive
form: check
pos: verb
tags: first-person
present
singular
form: checked
pos: verb
tags: first-person
past
singular
form: check
pos: verb
tags: present
second-person
singular
form: checkest
pos: verb
tags: archaic
present
second-person
singular
form: checked
pos: verb
tags: past
second-person
singular
form: checkedst
pos: verb
tags: archaic
past
second-person
singular
form: checks
pos: verb
tags: present
singular
third-person
form: checketh
pos: verb
tags: archaic
present
singular
third-person
form: checked
pos: verb
tags: past
singular
third-person
form: check
pos: verb
tags: plural
present
form: checked
pos: verb
tags: past
plural
form: check
pos: verb
tags: present
subjunctive
form: checked
pos: verb
tags: past
subjunctive
form: check
pos: verb
tags: imperative
present
form: -
pos: verb
tags: imperative
past
form: checking
pos: verb
tags: participle
present
form: checked
pos: verb
tags: participle
past
Senses:
gloss: An inspection or examination.
pos: noun
examples: I don't know if she will be there, but it's worth a check.
gloss: A control; a limit or stop.
pos: noun
examples: checks and balances
The castle moat should hold the enemy in check.
a remarkable check to the first progress of Christianity
gloss: A situation in which the king is directly threatened by an opposing piece.
pos: noun
gloss: A mark (especially a checkmark: ✓) used as an indicator.
pos: noun
tags: US
examples: Norton had made a neat, lawyerly check beside each of the items he and Billy had picked up—half a dozen or so, including the milk and a six-pack of Coke.
gloss: An order to a bank to pay money to a named person or entity.
pos: noun
tags: US
examples: I was not carrying cash, so I wrote a check for the amount.
gloss: A bill, particularly in a restaurant.
pos: noun
tags: US
examples: I summoned the waiter, paid the check, and hurried to leave.
gloss: A maneuver performed by a player to take another player out of the play.
pos: noun
examples: The hockey player gave a good hard check to obtain the puck.
Liverpool had been reduced to 10 men in the 88th minute, Ibrahima Konaté collecting a second yellow card for a check on Kai Havertz.
gloss: A token used instead of cash in various contexts, including sign-out of company property or collection of rations (dated), in gaming machines, or in gambling generally.
pos: noun
examples: a brass check
[…]the statute prohibits a machine which dispenses checks or tokens for replay[…]
gloss: A lengthwise separation through the growth rings in wood.
pos: noun
gloss: A mark, certificate, or token by which errors may be prevented, or a thing or person may be identified.
pos: noun
examples: a check given for baggage
a return check on a railroad
gloss: The forsaking by a hawk of its proper game to follow other birds.
pos: noun
gloss: A small chink or crack.
pos: noun
gloss: To inspect; to examine.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: Check the oil in your car once a month.
Check whether this page has a watermark.
gloss: To verify the accuracy of a text or translation, usually making some corrections (proofread) or many (copyedit).
pos: verb
tags: transitive
gloss: 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).
pos: verb
tags: US
often
transitive
examples: Check the items on the list that interest you.
Check the correct answer to each question.
gloss: To control, limit, or halt.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: Check your enthusiasm during a negotiation.
c. 1775–1780, Edmund Burke, letter to the Sheriffs of Bristol
so many clogs to check and retard the headlong course of violence and oppression
She was about to retort but something checked the words on her tongue.
gloss: To scold or rebuke someone.
pos: verb
tags: informal
transitive
gloss: To verify or compare with a source of information.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: Check your data against known values.
gloss: To leave in safekeeping.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: Check your hat and coat at the door.
gloss: To leave with a shipping agent for shipping.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: Check your bags at the ticket counter before the flight.
gloss: 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.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: He checked the ball and then proceeded to perform a perfect layup.
That basket doesn't count—you forgot to check!
gloss: To disrupt another player with the stick or body to obtain possession of the ball or puck.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: The hockey player checked the defenceman to obtain the puck.
gloss: To announce that one is remaining in a hand without betting.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: Tom didn't think he could win, so he checked.
gloss: To make a move which puts an adversary's king in check; to put in check.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: After I checked my opponent with a pawn, he resigned immediately.
gloss: To chide, rebuke, or reprove.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: The good king, his master, will check him for it.
gloss: To slack or ease off, as a brace which is too stiffly extended.
pos: verb
gloss: To crack or gape open, as wood in drying; or to crack in small checks, as varnish, paint, etc.
pos: verb
gloss: To make checks or chinks in; to cause to crack.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: The sun checks timber.
gloss: To make a stop; to pause.
pos: verb
tags: intransitive
examples: 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.
gloss: To clash or interfere.
pos: verb
tags: obsolete
examples: For if it [Loue] checke once with businesse, it troubleth Mens fortunes.
gloss: To act as a curb or restraint.
pos: verb
examples: It [his presence] checks too strong upon me.
gloss: To turn, when in pursuit of proper game, and fly after other birds.
pos: verb
examples: And like the haggard, check at every feather
 That comes before his eye.
gloss: To check out, make sense or prove to be the case after verification or interrogation.
pos: verb
tags: intransitive
examples: Didn’t remember that at all. But it sure checks!
gloss: An expression showing that a requirement has been satisfied.
pos: intj
examples: Keys? Check. Batteries? Check. We are all ready to go!
gloss: An expression that indicates that the speaker wishes to pay the bill (e.g. in a restaurant).
pos: intj
Derived words: aircheck
attitude check
backcheck
bounce a check
buttcheck
checkage
checkback
check bill
checkbox
check is in the mail
checkitis
checkless
checkman
check minus
check plus
checkpoint
checkpointless
checkpost
checkrein
check ride
checkride
checkroll
checkroom
checkrow
checkstand
checkstop
checkstring
checksum
CheckUser
check washing
checkweighman
checkwriter
countercheck
early life check
enhanced check
hatcheck
mike check
mischeck
pass in one's checks
soundcheck
stopcheck
telecheck
time check
time-of-check to time-of-use
write checks one can't cash
A check
background check
baggage check
B check
bed-check
blank check
blank check company
blue check
blue check mark
body-check
bounced check
brake check
C check
certified check
checkability
checkable
check against
check all the boxes
check and balance
check and mate
check at the door
checkbook
check box
check-call
check casher
check clerk
check cop
check digit
checked baggage
checkee
checker
checkered
checkers
check-fold
check hook
check-in
check in
checking
checking account
check into
check in with oneself
check it out
check key
checklist
check mark
checkmate
check nut
check off
check on
check one's eyelids for leaks
check out
checkout
check-out time
check over
check-rail
check rail
check-raise
check-rein
check scale
check sheet
check side
check-swing
check swing
check-taker
check the math
check through
check up
checkup
check-up
check up on
check upstairs
check valve
check viewer
check weigher
check your privilege
check yourself before you wreck yourself
coat check
cross check
cross-check
cup check
cyclic redundancy check
D check
desk check
double-check
dustbin check
e-check
fact check
fact-check
forecheck
gate check
gate-check
gut-check
heart check
hip check
in check
last I checked
last time I checked
mic-check
namecheck
need one's eyes checked
overcheck
pantry check
pass check
pay check
perimeter check
perpetual check
precheck
Prince of Wales check
recheck
return check
rubber check
sanity check
smog check
speed check
spell-check
spell check
spot-check
spot check
swing check valve
take check
triple check
type-check
unch
unchecked
vibe check
welfare check
wellness check
wet check
Translations: