check1
• verb 1 examine the accuracy, quality, or condition of. 2 stop or slow the progress of. 3 Chess move a piece or pawn to a square where it directly attacks (the opposing king). • noun 1 an examination to check accuracy, quality, or condition. 2 an act of checking progress. 3 a means of control or restraint. 4 Chess an act of checking the opposing king. 5 N. Amer. the bill in a restaurant. 6 (also check mark) North American term for TICK1 (in sense 1). — PHRASES check in 1 register at a hotel or airport. 2 have (one’s baggage) weighed and put into the hold of an aircraft. check out 1 settle one’s hotel bill before leaving. 2 establish the truth of or inform oneself about. check up on investigate. in check 1 under control. 2 Chess (of a king) directly attacked by an opponent’s piece or pawn. — DERIVATIVES checkable adjective. — ORIGIN Old French eschequier ‘play chess, put in check’, ultimately from a Persian word meaning ‘king’.
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