Check int. & sb. World English Historical Dictionary

Check int. & sb. World English Historical Dictionary Dictionary Biographies Literary Criticism Welcome Terms of Service ⧏ Previous Next ⧐ Contents Slice Contents Key Bibliographic Record Murray’s New English Dictionary. 1893, rev. 2025. Check int. & sb. Forms: 4–6 chek, (4 cheke, cheekke, 4–5 chekke, 5 chicke, chak), 6–9 checque, 7–9 cheque, (7 cheeque), 4– check. [ME. chek, chak, aphetic f. *eschek, -chak, a. OF. eschec, -ek, -eq, eschac, in ONF. eskec, escac, Pr. escac, It. scacco ‘check’ in chess, med.L. scaccus, scāchus; cf. also the parallel forms Sp. jaque, OSp. xaque ‘check,’ Pg. xaque ‘check’ and ‘shah’ (of Persia). Adapted form (immed. from Arabic) of Pers. shāh ‘king,’ also the ‘King’ in chess; in this specific sense the Pers. word was taken into Arabic, where arose the phrase shāh māt(a, ‘the King is dead,’ i.e., can make no further move: see CHECKMATE. (This has been taken back into Persian in the form shāh māt gardad = the shāh becomes māt.) In a MS. written in Sevilla in 1283, shāh is made in OSp. xaque (x = sh), and shāh māt(a appears as xaque mate. But the adoption of the words in Romanic took place some centuries earlier, the common Romanic form taken by shāh being scāc-, scacc-, as in the med.L., It., Pr. and Fr. forms given above. Thence also the MHG. schāch, Ger. schach, Du. skaak, Icel. skák, Da. skak, Sw. schack ‘check’ and ‘chess’ in the latter sense also schach-spiel, skaakspel, etc. = check-play). The general meaning in Romanic is ‘check’; for the name of the game the plural is used in med.L. scacci, It. scacchi, Pr. escacos, F. échecs: see CHESS.

1   From its use in chess the word has been widely transferred in French and English. In the sense-extension the sb. and vb. have acted and reacted on each other, so that it is difficult to trace and exhibit the order in which special senses arose.]

2   A.  int. A call at chess by which notice is given to the opponent that a move has been made which exposes his King; one says also Check to your King! and even Check to your Queen! Also fig.

3   † Check-rook: the call of check when at the same time one of the rooks is threatened with capture.

4 c. 1314.  Guy Warw. (A.), p. 426 (Zup.). Ate ches þai sett hem to playn … Þurch a chek Fabour seyd, for soþ, Sadok in hert wex wroþ.

5 c. 1369.  Chaucer, Bk. Duchesse, 669. Therewith Fortune said Checke here, And mate in the mid point of the checkere.

6 1474.  Caxton, Chesse, IV. ii. The kyng … ought to take hede that he stonde not so that a knyght or another sayth chek rook: than the kyng loseth the rook.

7 1656.  Beale, Chesse-Play, 8. No piece can take him [the king], but must only salute him with the word check.

8 1791.  W. Taylor, trans. Lessing’s Nathan, II. i. (Tauchn. 1868), 41. (Saladin & Sittah playing chess) Sittah. I move—So—Now then—Check! and Check again!

9 1870.  Hardy & Ware, Mod. Hoyle (Warne), 45. When a player gives check, and fails to give notice by crying ‘Check,’ his adversary need not, unless he think proper, place his King out of check, nor cover.

10 1888.  Mrs. H. Ward, R. Elsmere, xxxix. ‘Check, certainly,’ said Flaxman to himself ruefully … ‘not mate, I hope, if one can but find out how not to be a fool in future.’

11   B.  sb.

12   1.  Chess. The act of threatening the King; the position of the King when he is exposed to the attack of one of the opponent’s men; if there is no escape from check, it is checkmate and the game is over.

13 1426.  Audelay, Poems (1844), 23. After chec for the roke ware sore the mate.

14 1580.  Hollyband, Treas. Fr. Tong, Donner vn eschec, to giue a check.

15 1592.  Greene, Groatsw. Wit (1617), 22. Chesse … is a game, sayde she, that the first danger is but a checke, the worst, the giuing of a mate.

16 1614.  Saul, Chess play, To Rdr. None of the Kings can take a man that standeth on a guard, ’Twere checke at once if he doe so.

17 1656.  Beale, Chesse-Play, 5. The Knights … check, because … it cannot be covered, the King must either remove out of check, or cause him to be taken … [else] it is Check mate.

18 1848.  Staunton, Chess Pl. Handbk., 20. When the Piece moved does not itself give check, but unmasks another which does, it is called a discovered check.

19 1870.  Hardy & Ware, Mod. Hoyle (Warne), 42. When your King is attacked by any piece, he is said to be in check.… You must then put your King out of check by … interposing one of your own men between the checking piece and your King, thus ‘covering’ check, as it is termed.

20   † 2.  In early use, fig. and transf., in various shades of meaning, referring in some way to the ‘check’ in chess. Obs.

21   a.  An attack.

22 c. 1325.  E. E. Allit. P., B. 1238. He watz mayster of his men & myȝty him seluen, Þe chef of his cheualrye his chekkes to make.

23 c. 1330.  R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 1820. Þey handled boþe sore þer nekkes, Chynnes, chekes, gef harde chekkes.

24 1387.  Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), III. 231. In sodeyn reses and chekkes [incursionibus].

25 a. 1400[?].  Morte Arth., 1986. ffor-thi the kynge chargez hym … Cheftayne of the cheekke, with chevalrous knyghttez.

26 a. 1500.  Colkelbie Sow, I. 233 (Jam.). And Fergy Flitsy yeid befoir, Chiftane of that chef chak.

27   b.  To win or achieve a check: to succeed in inflicting a reverse or defeat on the foe; to win an advantage in a contest.

28 c. 1340.  Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 1107. & quat chek so ȝe acheue, chaunge me þer-forne.

29 a. 1400[?].  Morte Arth., 1539. We hafe eschewede this chekke, thurghe chance of oure Lorde.

30 c. 1400.  Rowland & O., lxxi. A noble cheke here wonn hafe ȝee.

31 a. 1400–50.  Alexander, 3098. Was noȝt Sexes him-selfe þe souereynest in erth, And cheued him of cheualry chekis out of nombre.

32   c.  An act that gives trouble, or is harmful; an evil turn or trick.

33 c. 1330.  R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 258. Þou has broken it alle, & don him many ille chek.

34 1393.  Langl., P. Pl., C. I. 107 (Ld. Ilchester’s MS.). Þair sire … chastised not his children of her euel chekkes.

35 c. 1400.  Beryn, 914. When Beryn passid was vii yeer, & grewe in more age He wrouȝt ful many an evill chek.

36 c. 1430.  Syr Gener. (Roxb.), 4042. It was Amalekes That hath doon him so foule chekkes.

37   d.  Contention; quarrel; strife.

38 c. 1330.  R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 100. In alle þis ilk chek of Roberd & Henry, Bituex þam wex contek.

39   † 3.  A taunting call; a bitter reproach. Obs.

40 1515.  Barclay, Egloges, II. (1570), B iv/1. Jacke with the bushe shall taunt thee with a chek.

41 1526.  Skelton, Magnyf., 300. Let se, this checke if ye voide canne.

42 1549.  Coverdale, Erasm. Par. Rom. xii. 17. Yf any man perhappes offende you, gyue not checke for checke, ne one wrong for an other.

43 1563.  Homilies, II. Coming Holy Ghost, I. (1859), 458. Counted woorthy to suffer rebukes, and checkes for the Name … of Christ Jesus.

44 1635.  R. N., trans. Camden’s Hist. Eliz., Introd. She loaded her with checks and taunts.

45   † 4.  A reproof, reprimand, rebuke. Obs. exc. dial.

46 1540.  Elyot, Image Gou. (1556), 4. The terrible checke that the good maister in the gospell gave to his idell servaunt.

47 1600.  Hakluyt, Voy. (1810), III. 551. The Captaine … had a great checke of the gouernour because he had not gone forwards.

48 1660.  Pepys, Diary, 26 Sept. I was very angry, and … did give him a very great check for it, and so to bed.

49 1679–80.  C. Hatton, Corr. (1878), 220. His Majesty gave him a severe checke.

50 1751.  Smollett, Per. Pic., xxi. He became acquainted with the proctor betimes. But all the checks he received were insufficient to moderate his career.

51   † b.  (without pl.) Reproof, censure, rebuke. Obs.

52 1581.  Lambarde, Eiren., II. ii. (1588), 113. Yet peradventure they shall not excuse our Justice of the Peace from checke and blame.

53 1623.  Meade, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., I. 291, III. 153. The Lord Marquess … hath had in the Spanish Court some check of late for forgetting himself so farre [etc.].

54 a. 1718.  Penn, Life, in Wks. (1726), I. 48. We … do intreat that we may have some Letter of Check to such Persons.

55   5.  A sudden arrest given to the career or onward course of anything by some obstruction or opposition; a rebuff, repulse, reverse.

56   Quot. 1330 is doubtful: cf. 2 c.

57 [c. 1330.  R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 151. Þe folk … Þer ȝates ageyn him sperd, & wild not lat him in … & for þei did þat chek, an oth he suore to gram.]

58 1515.  Scot. Field, 470. Then betide a chicke, that Cheshire men felden.

59 1625.  Bacon, Ess., Empire (Arb.), 297. They must haue some Checke or Arrest in their Fortunes.

60 1774.  Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1776), I. 265. A basket was sunk, with a large cannon-ball, to a certain depth of water, which gave a check to the boat’s motion.

61 1845.  M’Culloch, Taxation, II. vi. (1852), 303. The check which it would give to industry.

62 1855.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., IV. 241. The first great check that had ever been given to the arms of Lewis the Fourteenth.

63   b.  spec. A slight military reverse or repulse.

64 1793.  Capt. Bentinck, in Ld. Auckland’s Corr. (1862), III. 29. Under the supposition that we first take Condé, then carry Famars, and meet with no kind of check.

65 1799.  in Nicolas, Disp. Nelson (1845), IV. 94. We have reports of our check in Holland, September 19th, and of our complete victory on the 24th.

66   c.  A sudden stopping of the breath; a consonant produced by this means, a stopped consonant, ‘stop,’ or ‘mute,’ as k, t, p, g, d, b.

67 1669.  Holder, Elem. Speech, 11 (J.). The Letters, as they have the natural Production by several checks or stops, or, (as they are usually called) Articulations of the Breath or Voice.

68   d.  Hunting: A stop in the progress of the hounds through failure of the scent.

69 1781.  P. Beckford, Hunting, 201. When hounds are put to a check on a high road, by the fox being headed back, [etc.].

70 1875.  Whyte-Melville, Katerfelto, xxiii. The stag … sped … six miles on end without halt or hindrance, and the hounds ran him without a check.

71   6.  Hawking. A false stoop, when a hawk forsakes her proper game, and pursues some baser game that crosses her flight. Obs. or Hist.

72 c. 1430.  Lydg., Bochas, I. viii. Haukes, best preued, sumtime a check can make, Yet for a faute the foule is not forsake.

73 a. 1626.  Fletcher, Wom. Prize, I. ii. The free haggard will make an hundred checks To show her freedom.

74 a. 1641.  Suckling, Lett., in Wks. (1696), 93 (J.). A young Woman is a Hawk upon her wings; and if she be handsome, she is the more subject to go out at check.

75   b.  Base game, such as rooks, crows, doves, etc., which induce a hawk to ‘check.’

76 1575.  Turberv., Falconrie, 110. If your hawke go out to anye checke and kill a doove or a crow or anye other checke and feede upon it.

77 1615.  Latham, Falconry (1633), 27. Take a fit houre at euening when all check be past.

78 1621.  Markham, Art of Fowling (1655), 164.

79   c.  To fly at check: to pursue such game. Also transf. To run at check: said of dogs.

80 1666.  Dryden, Ann. Mirab., lxxxvi. When … Some falcon … the quarry miss’d, Straight flies at check, and clips it down the wind?

81 c. 1700.  Gentleman Instr. (1732), 331. Like ill-bred Spaniels, they run at Check on a false Scent.

82   7.  A sharp stoppage of motion; an interruption in a course, a sudden stoppage or pause.

83 1532.  Dice-Play, 1. And he agein at eche check in our walking caste earnest lokes vpon me.

84 1606.  Shaks., Tr. & Cr., I. iii. 94. Postes like the command’ment of a King, Sans checke, to good and bad.

85 1829.  Southey, Pilgr. Compostella, II. In they came from the yard without check.

86   † b.  To take check: to stop short (as if checked), ‘pull up’; to take offence. Obs.

87 1663.  Aron-bimn., 51. Therefore our Consciences do take check at it, being afraid the Lord should upbraid us.

88 1690.  Dryden, Don Sebastian, II. i. 22. Say I shou’d wed her, wou’d not my wise Subjects Take check, and think it strange? perhaps revolt?

89 c. 1700.  Gentleman Instr. (1732), 465. Debauchees will take Check at the Fredom of these Papers.

90 1710.  Palmer, Proverbs, 380. One man will be oblig’d to take cheque upon a disappointment, and retreat sooner than another.

91   † 8.  A stoppage of wages or a fine for non-fulfilment of duties or transgression of rules, inflicted upon servants of the royal household, etc.; the amount stopped. (See CHECK v. 9.) Obs.

92 1526.  Househ. Ord., 230. The defaulkation and check of wages of all them which shall be absent.

93 1577–87.  Holinshed, Chron., III. 892/2. Yeomen of the gard, which before hauing twelue pence the daie with checke, were now allowed six pence the daie without checke.

94 1598.  Old Cheque Bk. of Chapel Royal (Camd. Soc., 1872), 67. All and every checke and checkes … inflicted upon any Gentleman or other member of the Chappell by the Subdeane for breakinge of any of the statutes and orders … shalbe staied and taken by oure Clearke of the Checke … out of the offenders boord wages … and the same monye by checke or checkes soe staied and taken upp, the Clearke of oure Checke shall accounte for. Ibid. (1663), 82. The check for absence on ordinary weeke dayes shall be twelve pence every service.

95 1708.  J. Chamberlayne, St. Gt. Brit., II. III. (1743), 212. The whole band are to attend at the four principal Feasts of the year … under penalty of the cheque.

96   9.  Restraint upon action or conduct by a supervising or controlling power.

97 1579.  Gosson, Ephem., 61 b. When loue commaundes, we must receiue the check, He rules, and euery god obayes his becke.

98 1601.  Househ. Ord., 287. The Clerke of the Kitchen … hath … a checke over all the officers in the same.

99 a. 1642.  Sir W. Monson, Naval Tracts, III. (1703), 326/1. He also keeps Checque, by calling all the Workmen twice a day to their Labour.

100 1665.  Sir W. Coventry, in Pepys (Corresp. Nov. 7). For a neglect of keeping a good checque upon his Purser.

101 1768–74.  Tucker, Lt. Nat. (1852), II. 320. it is better the child should stand in awe of the old man in the cupboard … than be under no check at all.

102 1860.  Mill, Repr. Gov. (1865), 47/2. Its own proper work, that of superintendence and check.

103 1874.  Morley, Compromise (1886), 47–8. No reasonable man or woman … would thenceforth be capable of receiving effective check or guidance from beliefs, that would have sunk slowly down to the level of doubtful guesses.

104   b.  In check: under restriction of freedom of movement or action, under control. So formerly at one’s check, out of check.

105 c. 1555.  Harpsfield, Divorce Hen. VIII. (1878), 78. Seeing our case is out of that checke. And as our case is not checked by God’s law [etc.].

106 1579.  Gosson, Ephem., 47. To confesse their owne weakenes which stand at his checke.

107 1586.  J. Hooker, Girald. Hist. Irel., in Holinshed, II. 61/1. Bearing themselues for gouernors out of checke.

108 1845.  Sarah Austin, trans. Ranke’s Hist. Ref., I. 145. A powerful prince … who could hold the Turks in check.

109 1851.  Gallenga, trans. Mariotti’s Italy, 305. His task was … to keep Nugent in check.

110 1862.  Stanley, Jew. Ch. (1877), I. vii. 147. The common law of the desert found itself kept in check by the statute law of Palestine.

111   10.  Any person or thing that checks, or acts as a stop or restraint.

112 1647.  Clarendon, Hist. Reb., I. (1712), I. 55. He [the Earl of Manchester] was unhappily too much used as a Check upon the Lord Coventry.

113 1661.  Pepys, Diary, 27 Oct. He was a cheque to their engrossing the whole trade of the Navy-office.

114 1700.  Dryden, Pref. Fables (Globe), 500. A satirical poet is the check of the laymen on bad priests.

115 1765.  Blackstone, Comm., I. 317. These imposts, if too heavy, are a check and cramp upon trade.

116 1798.  Malthus, Popul. (1878), 1. Of the checks to population.

117 1885.  Law Times, 16 May, 38/1. The magistrate may be necessary as a check on the doctor.

118   b.  Mechanics. (See quots.)

119 1796.  J. Boys, Agric. of Kent (1813), 52. A strong chain … so fixed, as by means of notches (or a pin called a check) to let the whole plough out a greater length from the axle.

120 1839.  R. S. Robinson, Naut. Steam Eng., 37. In the inside of the stuffing box a small projecting ring, called a check, is cast, on which rests a brass ring, ground exactly to the size of the piston rod, which passes through it steam-tight.

121   c.  Angling. In the reel of a fishing rod, a contrivance for marking, by the clicking of a wheel, the running out of the line.

122 1867.  F. Francis, Angling, i. (1880), 18. The best reels for bottom-fishing are the plain reels with a light check.

123   d.  Music. A part of the action of a pianoforte fixed at the back part of the key, to catch the hammer and prevent its retouching the strings.

124 1879.  in Grove, Dict. Mus., I. 341/1. In cottage pianofortes or pianinos that have check actions the check is placed before the hammer, and a stud projecting from the butt of the hammer comes in contact with the check.

125   11.  Control by which accuracy, correctness, or agreement of facts and their representation, is secured.

126 1786.  Burke, Art. W. Hastings, Wks. 1842, II. 142. That the said Warren Hastings, by uniting the supply and the check in the same hands, did … disobey the company’s specifick orders.

127 1791.  Smeaton, Edystone L., § 101. The foreman on shore to take an account of every thing … under the check of the engineer or his deputy when on shore.

128   12.  One employed to check or control; a checker.

129 1774.  Barclay, Dict. Check … a person who examines any account.

130 1851.  Mayhew, Lond. Labour, III. 353 (Hoppe). One gentleman told me he employed a ‘ladylike,’ and, as he believed, trusty woman as a ‘check.’

131   13.  A mark made against an item in an account, list, &c., to show that it has been ‘checked,’ i.e., compared and found correct.

132   14.  A means to ensure accuracy, correctness, security from fraud, etc.: as

133   † a.  The counterfoil of a bank bill, draft, etc.

134 1706–1782.  [see CHEQUE 1].

135   b.  A token, usually a memorandum of receipt, a ticket, or piece of metal duly stamped or numbered, used for the purpose of identification, or as evidence of ownership or title: given, e.g., to the owner of luggage on a railway (as in U.S.), or to one who temporarily leaves luggage, cloaks, portable articles, at the cloak-room of a railway-station, place of entertainment, etc., to enable him to identify and re-claim the same; to a person temporarily leaving a theatrical performance, or going upon the platform of a railway, to allow him to pass the gate-keeper again without payment; to a purchaser in a co-operative or other store as his voucher for a share in a dividend, etc., etc.

136 1812.  [see CHECK-TAKER].

137 1847.  Illust. Lond. News, 4 Sept., 146/1. They will deny the receipt of a check, and exact the fare again.

138 1858.  J. F. Redfield, Law Railw. (1869), II. 37. Railways have made their checks evidence in regard to the delivery of baggage.

139 1878.  Lady Herbert, trans. Hübner’s Ramble, I. iv. 32. As to your luggage, you need not trouble your head about it, as you have your ‘check.’

140   15.  A counter used in games at cards. U.S. Hence (colloq.) To hand in one’s checks: to die.

141 1870.  Bret Harte, Outcasts Poker Flat (Hoppe). Beneath this tree lies the body of J. O. who … handed in his checks on the 7th December, 1850.

142 1872.  ‘Mark Twain,’ Roughing It, xlvii. 332 (Hoppe). You see, one of the boys has passed in his checks and we want to give him a good send-off.

143   † 16.  Short for CHECK-ROLL, list of servants enrolled. In check: enrolled on a check-roll. Obs.

144 1603.  Drayton, Bar. Wars, VI. xvi. Nine score in check attending in their Court, Whom honoured Knight-hood knits in mutuall bands.

145 1611.  Speed, Hist. Gt. Brit., IX. iii. (1614), 13. Thou shalt be my Knight, and bee enrolled in my Checke, with a Fee answerable to thy worth.

146   † 17.  As sure as check: (cf. chequer-pay in CHEQUER). Obs.

147 c. 1659.  Osborn, Q. Eliz. (1673), 464. Let the Proverb As sure as Check bayl me from the least suspicion of hyperboly.

148   18.  Clerk of the Check: the title of officers in the royal household, keeping the check-roll and having control of the yeomen of the guard and other servants, ‘checking’ the observance of their duties, their payment, etc.

149 1541.  Act 33 Hen. VIII., c. xii. Retourned by the two clarkes Comptrollers, the clarkes of the Checque, and clarkes marshalles.

150 a. 1561.  G. Cavendish, Life of Wolsey, in Wordsw., Eccl. Biog., I. 348. Then had he a Clerke of the Checke, as well upon his Chaplaines, as of his Yeomen of his Chamber.

151 c. 1570.  Thynne, Pride & Lowl., cxliv. To setten downe a bill of charge, There is no Auditor, ne Clerke of Check Can penne it bet then he.

152 1886.  Whitaker’s Almanack, 83. Her Majesty’s Body-guard of Yeomen of the Guard … Clerk of the Cheque and Adjutant, Lieut. Col. Francis Baring … Hon. Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms … Clerk of the Cheque and Adjutant, Major Philip L. Tillbrook.

153   † b.  Formerly the title of officers of control appointed in the royal ports and dockyards (also occasionally to land forces). Obs.

154 1637.  Heywood, R. Ship, 47. Master Francis Shelton, Clerke of the Checke, whose industry and care, in looking to the Workmen imployed in this Architecture, hath beene a great furtherance to expedite the businesse.

155 1667.  Pepys, Diary, 23 July. Comes sudden news … from the Clerk of the Cheque at Gravesend, that there were thirty sail of Dutch men-of-war coming up into the Hope.

156 1705.  Royal Procl., in Lond. Gaz., No. 4166/1. The Muster-Books returned from the Clerks of the Checque of the said Ports. Ibid. (1714), No. 5278/8. Matthew Pennefather, Esq., to be Muster-Master-General, and Clerk of the Checque of all His Majesty’s Forces and Garrisons in Ireland.

157 1814.  G. Rose, Diaries (1860), II. 514. The Clerk of the Cheque of the Royal Hospital [Greenwich].

158 1833.  Marryat, P. Simple, xli. To request my commission to be forwarded to the clerk of the cheque at Plymouth.

159   19.  attrib. and Comb., as check-experiment; check-bitted, check-free adjs.; check-action (see 10 d above); † check-reel, a reel provided with a check to control the quantity of thread wound up; check-winch, a winch on the reel of a fishing-rod provided with a check (cf. 10 c). Also CHECK-TAKER, etc. (For other comb. see after the vb.)

160 1845.  W. Grove, Contrib. Sc., in Corr. Phys. Forces (1874), 288. A *check experiment.

161 1845.  Carlyle, Cromwell (1871), I. 50. A fiery steed but bridled, *check-bitted by innumerable straps and considerations.

162 1598.  J. Dickenson, Greene in Conc. (1878), 162. *Check-free licentiousnesse.

163 1733.  P. Lindsay, Interest Scot., Pref. p. xxiii. To introduce the Practice of *Check-reels every where.

164 1875.  ‘Stonehenge,’ Brit. Sports, I. V. iii. 345. The reel should be a large-barrelled *check-winch.

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