The Collaborative International Dictionary
certified check \certified check\ n. a check drawn on a bank and bearing marks from that bank guaranteeing that funds have been reserved for payment.
Wiktionary
n. (context US English) A check (cheque) for which the bank verifies that sufficient funds exist in the account to cover the check, and so certifies, at the time the check is written.
WordNet
n. a check containing certification that the person who issued the check has sufficient funds on deposit to cover payment [syn: certified cheque]
Wikipedia
A certified check or certified cheque is a form of cheque for which the bank verifies that sufficient funds exist in the account to cover the cheque, and so certifies, at the time the cheque is written. Those funds are then set aside in the bank's internal account until the cheque is cashed or returned by the payee. Thus, a certified cheque cannot "bounce", and, in this manner, its liquidity is similar to cash, absent failure of the bank or illegal act (such as the funds being based on a fraudulent loan, at which point the cheque will be disavowed).
In some countries, e.g. Germany, it is illegal for a regular bank to certify checks. This regulation is supposed to prevent certified cheques from becoming a universal substitute for cash, which is considered the only legal tender. The Deutsche Bundesbank (Federal Bank) is the only financial institution authorized to issue certified checks.
Because of the liquidity and certainty of payment of a certified cheque, it is sometimes considered equivalent to cash, such as in the regulation of credit for casino gaming in Macau, where the law explicitly states that if a casino patron obtains casino chips and pays with a certified cheque, the transaction is not regarded as credit for gaming (see Law 5/2004, art. 2).
It is possible to counterfeit or forge a certified cheque, in which case it is not binding on the bank and is worthless. See entry on cashier's check for discussion of risks.
Usage examples of "certified check".
You're the only one who knew her intimately who could have known about the certified check in time to phone Mrs.
One was a certified check for more money than I had ever had before at one time.
A certified check is much harder to play hanky-panky with than is a personal check, but Belle was a clever gal.
But the only way you can get to talk to them is to have that forty thousand in cash or certified check all ready and waiting, and I'll have a deed and closing statement and so on.
It will give me great pleasure to hand you a certified check for the missing gems the first thing in the morning.
Later we get a certified check from Rudy with a note saying he’.
In the ordinary course of business, when the borrower has no further use for the money, he sends up a certified check for the amount of the loan with interest, and the bank turns over the securities to the messenger.
In this particular case a messenger arrived with a certified check, shoved it into the cage, and took away what was pushed out to him in return—.
The following morning Budge handed Jeff a certified check for $250,000.
Henri Rendell went to the Bank of Spain and returned with a certified check for $50,000, and the Eugenio Lucas y Padilla was handed over to him, wrapped in an inconspicuous piece of burlap.
Get an underwriter-Jack Towers, maybe-get Jefferson Billings to open that pawnshop of his and get a certified check.
There they soon ascertained that the aircraft had been chartered by one Joseph Serov, who'd paid for the charter with a certified check drawn on an account at Citibank that was in his name.
Hand delivery of a legal document, and get the certified check before turning it over.
Then the three brothers signed the paper and it was duly witnessed by two teachers, and the certified check was handed to Dick.