checkmate
Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Legal, Financial, Acronyms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
Related to checkmate: chess
check·mate
(chĕk′māt′)tr.v. check·mat·ed, check·mat·ing, check·mates
1. To move a chess piece placing (an opponent's king) under threat of being taken on the next move with no way of escape or defense possible.
2. To defeat completely.
n.
1.
a. A move in chess that checkmates an opponent's king.
b. The position or condition of a checkmated king.
2. An utter defeat.
interj.
Used to declare the checkmate of an opponent's king in chess.
[Middle English chekmat, from Old French eschec mat, from Arabic šāh māt, the king is dead : šāh, king (from Persian shāh; see shah) + māt, died (from earlier māta, to die; see mwt in Semitic roots).]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
checkmate
(ˈtʃɛkˌmeɪt)n
1. (Chess & Draughts) chess
a. the winning position in which an opponent's king is under attack and unable to escape
b. the move by which this position is achieved
2. utter defeat
vb (tr)
3. (Chess & Draughts) chess to place (an opponent's king) in checkmate
4. to thwart or render powerless
interj
(Chess & Draughts) chess a call made when placing an opponent's king in checkmate
[C14: from Old French eschec mat, from Arabic shāh māt, the king is dead; see check]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
check•mate
(ˈtʃɛkˌmeɪt)n., v. -mat•ed, -mat•ing,
interj. n.
1.
a. an act or instance in chess of maneuvering the opponent's king into a check from which it cannot escape, thus bringing the game to a victorious conclusion.
b. the position of the pieces when a king is checkmated.
2. a thwarting or defeat.
v.t. 3. to maneuver (an opponent's king in chess) into a check from which no escape is possible; mate.
4. to check completely; defeat.
interj. 5. (used by a chess player when placing the opponent's king in checkmate.)
[1300–50; Middle English < Middle French escec mat < Arabic shāh māt < Persian: literally, the king (is) checked, nonplussed]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
checkmate
Past participle: checkmated
Gerund: checkmating
| Imperative |
|---|
| checkmate |
| checkmate |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  checkmate - complete victory |
| 2. |  checkmate - a chess move constituting an inescapable and indefensible attack on the opponent's kingchess move - the act of moving a chess piece | |
| Verb | 1. | checkmate - place an opponent's king under an attack from which it cannot escape and thus ending the game; "Kasparov checkmated his opponent after only a few moves" chess game, chess - a board game for two players who move their 16 pieces according to specific rules; the object is to checkmate the opponent's king |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
checkmate
verbThe American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
مَوْتُ الشّاهيُميتُ الشّاه
dát matmatmatová situacematovatšachmat
skakmatgøre skak
lüüasaaminemattšahh ja matt
mattishakki ja matti
sakk-mattot ad
mátmáta
チェックメイト詰み
dať šach matmatmatová situácia
matšah mat
mattschack matt
matmat etmek
checkmate
[ˈtʃekˈmeɪt]B. VT
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
checkmate
[ˈtʃɛkmeɪt] n (CHESS) → échec et mat m
vt
(fig) (= defeat) [+ enemy, opponent] → mettre en échec
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
checkmate
[ˈtʃɛkˌmeɪt]1. n (in chess) (fig) → scacco matto, scaccomatto
2. vt → dare scacco matto a (fig) → bloccare
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
check
(tʃek) verb1. to see if something (eg a sum) is correct or accurate. Will you check my addition?
2. to see if something (eg a machine) is in good condition or working properly. Have you checked the engine (over)?
3. to hold back; to stop. We've checked the flow of water from the burst pipe.
noun1. an act of testing or checking.
2. something which prevents or holds back. a check on imports.
3. in chess, a position in which the king is attacked. He put his opponent's king in check.
4. a pattern of squares. I like the red check on that material.
5. a ticket received in return for handing in baggage etc.
6. (especially American) a bill. The check please, waiter!
7. (American) a cheque.
checked adjective having a pattern of check. She wore a checked skirt; Is the material checked or striped?
ˈcheckbook noun (American) a chequebook.
ˈcheck-in noun1. the place where passengers show travel documents at an airport or seaport. the check-in desk; (American) the check-in counter.
2. the process of checking in at an airport etc.
ˈcheckmate noun in chess, a position from which the king cannot escape.
verb to put (an opponent's king) in this position.
ˈcheckout noun a place where payment is made for goods bought in a supermarket.
ˈcheckpoint noun a barrier where cars, passports etc are inspected, or a point that contestants in a race must pass.
ˈcheck-up noun a medical examination to discover the state of a person's health. my annual check-up.
check in to register at a hotel as a guest or at an airport as a passenger. We checked in last night.
check out1. to leave (a hotel), paying one's bill etc. You must check out before 12 o'clock.
2. (especially American) to test. I'll check out your story.
check up (on) to investigate to see if (someone or something) is reliable, honest, true etc. Have you been checking up on me?
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.