Check v.1. World English Historical Dictionary

Check v.1. 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 v.1 Forms: 4–6 chek(e, 5 chekk-yn, (Sc. chak), 5–6 chek, 6–7 checke, 8 cheque, checque, (Sc. 9 chack), 6– check. [ME. chek-en, aphetic f. achek-, *eschek-, a. OF. eschequier, eschecqu-er (in ONF. eskek-ier) to play chess, give check to; also in pa. pple. eschequié, Cotgr. eschequé, It. scaccato, med.L. scaccātus chequered, f. the sb. eschec, eskek, scacco, CHECK1, q.v.]

1   1.  Chess. To attack the opponent’s King by placing a man so that he could, at his next move, take the King if the latter were an ordinary piece; to give check to, place in check. Cf. CHECK sb.1 1.

2 1614.  Saul, Chessplay, To Rdr. But as they [pawnes] march who so they finde doe in their colour stande, Such may they kill or checke aslope to the right or left hand.

3 1656.  Beale, Chess-Play, 3. So also doth he [the pawn] check, that is, (give notice to) the adverse King that he can take him.

4 1825.  Macaulay, Misc. Poems (1860), 390. We check and take, exult and fret.

5 1870.  Hardy & Ware, Mod. Hoyle (Warne), 42.

6   b.  fig.

7 a. 1400.  Cov. Myst., xxx. 306. What? spek I say, thou foulyng, evyl mot thou fare! Loke up, the devyl mote the cheke!

8 1587.  Turberv., Trag. T. (1837), 149. And so perhaps she might both checke And give the foole a mate.

9 1589.  Pappe w. Hatchet (1844), 9. Such dydoppers must be taken vp, els theile not stick to check the king.

10 1595.  Shaks., John, II. i. 123. Out insolent, thy bastard shall be King, That thou maist be a Queen, and checke the world.

11 1649.  Selden, Laws Eng., I. xvi. The Churchmen checked them often, but could never give them the mate.

12   † 2.  To come into collision with, strike, hit. Obs.

13 1576.  Gosson, Spec. Hum., iii. (Arb.), 76. The prime of youth, whose greene vnmellowde yeares With hoysed head doth checke the loftie skies.

14 1608.  Tourneur, Rev. Trag., I. ii. (1878), 20. And when he rid, his Hatt would check the signes.

15   † b.  intr. To clash, come into hostile contact or collision. Const. with. Obs.

16 1535.  Goodly Primer, To Rdr. (1834), 8. Neither is it meet to make them [saints] check with our Saviour Christ, much less then to make them checkmate.

17 1612.  Bacon, Ess. Love (Arb.), 446. For if it [Loue] checke once with businesse, it troubleth Mens fortunes.

18 1632.  Stow’s Chron., 742. There checked with him at the entring thwart the Towne, sixe Gallies: but they in short time retired vnder their fortresses.

19   II.  To stop sharply or suddenly.

20   3.  To arrest, stop or retard the onward motion or course of (a person or thing).

21 [c. 1384.  Chaucer, H. Fame, 2093. When they metten in that place, They wer a-cheked bothe two.]

22 1393.  Langl., P. Pl., C. XXI. 287. Barre we þe ȝates. Cheke we and cheyne we and eche chyne stoppe.

23 1577.  Holinshed, Chron., III. 156. The ambitious mind of the man, that even from his youth was ever to checke at the highest.

24 1821.  Shelley, Prometh. Unb., I. 126. As one who checks a fiend-drawn charioteer.

25 1860.  Tyndall, Glac., I. § 7. 52. Asperities … which incessantly check its [an avalanche’s] descent.

26 1875.  Bryce, Holy Rom. Emp., ii. 6. Few fortresses checked the march of [the] armies.

27   4.  spec. † a. ? To challenge (a sentinel). (Cf. check-watch, s.v. CHECK-.) Obs.

28 c. 1470.  Henry, Wallace, VIII. 817. To chak the wache Wallace and x had beyn Rydand about.

29   b.  Naut. To check a bowline: to slacken it and belay it again. To check a brace: to ease it off when found to be too stiffly extended. To check a cable: to stopper it, when running out. Check her (a ship): stop her way. (Adm. Smyth.)

30 1833.  Marryat, P. Simple, viii. Check her as she swings.

31   c.  To pull (a rein).

32 c. 1720.  Gay, Apparition. And now he checks the rein, and halts. Ibid., Birth of Squire. O check the foamy bit! nor tempt thy fate: Think on the murders of a five barr’d gate.

33   † 5.  intr. (for refl.) To stop short; to stand at; to wince, take offence (at). Obs.

34 1616.  Beaum. & Fl., Lit. French Law., III. iii. A true friend should not checke at the hazard of a life.

35 1625.  Fletcher, Fair Maid, V. i. 49. I tamely beare Wrongs that a slave-born Muscovite would check at.

36 1635.  Quarles, Embl. (1718), Introd. 2. Let not the tender eye check, to see the allusion to our blessed Saviour figured in these Types.

37 1657.  Jer. Taylor, Lett., in Evelyn’s Mem. (1857), III. 98. That which you check at is the immortality of the soul.

38 1681.  Chetham, Angler’s Vade-m., xli. § 13 (1689), 321. You may feel him check and tug at it.

39 1724.  A. Collins, Gr. Chr. Relig., Pref. 34. No man checks or takes offence at customs or ceremonies, he sees every day.

40   b.  Hunting. Of dogs: To stop through loss of scent, or to make sure of its direction.

41 1735.  Somerville, Chase, II. 255. Ah! yet once more They’re check’d—hold back with speed—on either Hand They flourish round.

42 1855.  Kingsley, Heroes, III. (1868), 38. At last they struck upon the scent of the blood, and they checked for a moment to make sure.

43   6.  Hawking. a. To check at the fist: to refuse to come to, recoil from, ‘shy’ at the fist.

44 1522.  Skelton, Why not to Courte? 732. Till he cheked at the fist.

45 1557.  Tottel’s Misc. (Arb.), 240. The hauke may check, that now comes fair to fiist.

46 1618.  Latham, 2nd Bk. Falconry (1633), 37. She will neuer vnderstand what it is to checke at the fist: but … wil proue a certaine and bold commer.

47   b.  See quot. 1615, 1852; and cf. CHECK sb. 6.

48   (Sir Walter Scott’s archaic use appears to be erroneous, since one falcon does not ‘check’ at another, and Marmion would not figure himself as ‘base game’ crossing the path of nobler quarry.)

49 1601.  Shaks., Twel. N., III. i. 71. Like the Haggard, checke at euery Feather That comes before his eye.

50 1615.  Latham, Falconry, Words of Art expl., Checke, or to kill Checke, is when Crows, Rooks, Pies, or other birds comming in the view of the Hawke, she forsaketh her naturall flight to flie at them.

51 1808.  Scott, Marm., I. vi. E’en such a falcon on his shield … The golden legend bore aright, Who checks at me, to death is dight.

52 1852.  R. F. Burton, Falconry Vall. Indus, iii. 31. She ‘checked’ first at one bird, then at the other … [footnote, To ‘check’ is to forsake the quarry, and fly at any chance bird that crosses the path].

53   † 7.  trans. To keep back or off from. Obs.

54 1597.  Greene, Poems (1861), 313. A wreath of boughs To check the sun from her brows.

55   † 8.  To reject, throw back. Obs.

56 1601.  Holland, Pliny, II. 404. A spring boiling out of the ground with such a force, that it scorneth and checketh any thing that is throwne into it.

57 1727.  A. Hamilton, New Acc. E. Ind., I. i. 13. Those Easterly Monsoons always bring strong Currents with them from the Eastward, which check’d him over to the Coast of Magadoxa.

58   † 9.  To stop (a person) from receiving a part of his wages, as a fine or penalty; to fine, mulct. To be checked: to have one’s wages stopped. Obs.

59 1526.  Househ. Ord., 233. To be checkt of three dayes Wages. Ibid. (1539), in Thynne, Animadv., Introd. (1865), 34. The Clerkes Comptrolers … shall dayly … default and check the Wages of all such as he shall finde to be absent without lycence.

60 1618.  Cheque Bk. Chapel Royal (1872), 75. For all these thinges … he shalbe checked the soume of forty shillinges to be staied to his Majestes use out of wages next growinge and due to him.

61 1705.  Royal Procl., in Lond. Gaz., No. 4166/1. All such Mariners … shall be Chequed out of Wages only from the respective Times they ought to have returned.

62 1708.  J. Chamberlayne, St. Gt. Brit., II. III. (1743), 211. If any Gentleman-Pensioner in Ordinary fail in his attendance, he shall be chequed with the loss of three days’ wages.

63 1803.  Naval Chron., XV. 61. If they do not attend their musters, they are checked of their pay.

64   III.  To taunt, etc.

65   † 10.  To reproach, taunt, revile. Obs.

66 1526.  Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 12. Neyther yet vpbrayde ne checke hym.

67 1526.  Tindale, Mark xv. 32. And they that were crucified with him, checked him also [so 1539 Cranmer, 1557 Geneva].

68 1530.  Palsgr., 482/2.

69 1557.  N. T. (Geneva), John ix. 28. Then checked they hym, and sayd, Be thou his disciple: we be Moses disciples.

70 1590.  E. Webbe, Trav., 10 b. With these speeches they did check me, and I said, [etc.] … wherefore they did greatly reuile mee.

71 1592.  Wyrley, Armorie, 49.

72   11.  To rebuke, reprove, reprimand. arch. or dial.

73 1514.  Barclay, Cyt. & Uplondyshm. (1847), Introd. 56. Still muste thou stande, or els shalt thou be chekt.

74 1556.  Robinson, trans. More’s Utop. (Arb.), 38. Land-lordes by the wai checked for Rent-raisyng.

75 1581.  Savile, Tacitus’ Hist., II. xl. (1591), 77. He checked the Generals for their slacknesse.

76 1692.  Luttrell, Brief Rel. (1857), II. 346. His majestie yesterday checkt a young lord for swearing within his hearing.

77 1750.  Johnson, Rambl., No. 75, ¶ 15. The parson made no difficulty to check me when I was pert.

78 1814.  Wordsw., Excurs., IV. 427. The little flower her vanity shall check.

79 1879.  Geo. Eliot, Theo. Such, xii. Young enough to be checked for speech on subjects which they had spoken mistakenly about when he was in his cradle.

80   † 12.  intr. To check at: to aim reproof or censure at; to animadvert severely upon. Obs.

81 1642.  View of Print. Book int. Observat., 4. See Pag. 3. how he checks at the King for using the word (Grace).

82 1652.  Gaule, Magastrom., 373. Tiberius hereupon sent letters to the Senate, severely checking at Caninius.

83   IV.  To restrain, control.

84   13.  (fig. from 3.) To stop (action, growth, exhibition of feeling, and the like); to stay the course of; to repress, restrain.

85 1581.  Mulcaster, Positions, xxviii. (1887), 108. The execution being checkt with a number of accidentarie occurrences, which art cannot comprehend.

86 1591.  Shaks., Two Gent., II. iv. 213. If I can checke my erring loue, I will, If not, to compasse her Ile vse my skill. Ibid. (c. 1600), Sonn., xv. Men as plants increase, Cheared and checkt euen by the selfe-same skie.

87 1667.  Milton, P. L., VI. 853. Half his strength he put not forth, but check’d His Thunder in mid Volie.

88 1721.  De Foe, Mem. Cavalier (1840), 178. His fury was checked.

89 1796.  Jane Austen, Pride & Prej., x. 43. She could perceive that he was rather offended, and therefore checked her laugh.

90 1799.  in Nicolas, Disp. Nelson (1845), III. 313. The scurvy cannot be checked.

91 1862.  Ruskin, Unto this Last, 157. The multiplication of animals is checked only by want of food, and by the hostility of races.

92 1882.  Pebody, Eng. Journalism, xx. 149. Mr. Baldwin checked the enthusiasm of his visitors for a moment by explaining the probable cost of publishing an evening paper.

93   refl.  1833.  Ht. Martineau, Manch. Strike, x. 109. He … was about to cover his face with his hands, but checked himself.

94 1852.  Mrs. Stowe, Uncle Tom’s C., I. iii. 37. She would have spoken to tell her husband her fears, but checked herself.

95   14.  To hold in check or restraint; to curb, control; to act as a check on.

96 1630.  Prynne, Anti-Armin., 138. Checke … the peruersnesse of mens wills.

97 1639.  Fuller, Holy War, III. xxv. (1840), 164. To check this fort, the Christians built a tower on ships.

98 1641.  Milton, Ch. Discip., II. (1851), 52. Have they not been bold of late to check the Common Law?

99 1763.  J. Brown, Poetry & Mus., xiv. 241. These Arts … have a natural Tendency towards Corruption, unless checked and chastised by wholesome Institutions.

100 1856.  Emerson, Eng. Traits, xviii. Wks. (Bohn), II. 133. In England, the strong classes check the weaker.

101 1877.  Mozley, Univ. Serm., viii. 172. Cases in which one train of physical consequences is checked by the operation of another.

102   b.  To rein. poet.

103 1593.  Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., II. vi. 12. O Phœbus! hadst thou neuer giuen consent, That Phaeton should checke thy fiery Steeds.

104 1632.  Milton, Il Penser., 59. While Cynthia checks her dragon yoke Gently o’er th’ accustom’d oak.

105   † 15.  intr. To act as a check upon. Obs. rare.

106 1678.  Dryden, All for Love, III. i. Lead to the Temple: I’ll avoid his Presence; It checks too strong upon me.

107   16.  trans. To control (a statement, account, etc.) by some method of comparison; to compare one account, observation, entry, etc., with another, or with certified data, with the object of ensuring accuracy and authenticity. Also to check a person (in his account, execution of duty, etc.).

108 1695.  Minutes of Court of Bank of Eng., 15 May. Ordered that these words following vizt. ‘This note to be currant onely for a Twelvemonth and may bee chequ’d att the Bank, when desired, gratis’ Bee added at the Bottome of the New Bank Notes [i.e., cash notes]. Ibid., 21 Aug. Ordered that noe Bank Bills brought in bee either allowed or paid or changed till they bee first checqued.

109 1755.  Johnson, Check, to compare a bank note or other bill with the correspondent paper.

110 1758.  Let. on State of Navy, 24. The Commissioners … are not possessed of the Books … of other Vouchers, whereby they can examine and check these Tickets. Ibid., 35. Dead and discharged Tickets … are paid at the Navy-Office, without being chequed.

111 1768.  Smeaton, in Phil. Trans., LVIII. 164. The one observation checqued with the other, will, according to a mean elliptic motion, differ by the quantity of 31″.

112 1774–82.  Barclay, Dict. Check vb. … in Commerce, to compare the flourished or ornamented part of a draught or bank-bill with that which remains in the book from whence it was cut.

113 1797.  Burke, Regic. Peace, iii. Wks. VIII. 398. I have checked this account by the statute-book, and find it to be correct.

114 1802.  Capt. Elmore, in Naval Chron., VIII. 382. The … clerks … check the weights.

115 1880.  Manch. Guard., 15 Dec., 5/4. We have no means of checking all these statements.

116   b.  To check off: to mark as examined and found correct; to ‘tick off’ as passed or duly entered.

117 1839.  Dickens, Nich. Nick., xvi. Nearly every other member … pulled a written paper from his pocket, to check Mr. Pugstyles off, as he read the questions.

118 1884.  R. Wheatley, in Harper’s Mag., June, 46/2. The signer’s name is at the same time checked off on the passenger list by a third officer.

119   V.  17. intr. To draw a cheque (upon a person, for an amount). U.S.

120 1843.  Poe, Murders Rue Morgue, Wks. 1864, I. 190. Had checked for nothing until the third day before her death, when she took out in person the sum of 4000 francs.

121 1863.  [Catherine C. Hopley], Life in South, I. xvi. 323. To check upon him for $500.

122 © 2025 WEHD.com