The Collaborative International Dictionary
Check \Check\ (ch[e^]k), n. [OE. chek, OF. eschec, F. ['e]chec, a stop, hindrance, orig. check in the game of chess, pl. ['e]checs chess, through Ar., fr. Pers. sh[=a]h king. See Shah, and cf. Checkmate, Chess, Checker.]
(Chess) A word of warning denoting that the king is in danger; such a menace of a player's king by an adversary's move as would, if it were any other piece, expose it to immediate capture. A king so menaced is said to be in check, and must be made safe at the next move.
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A condition of interrupted or impeded progress; arrest; stop; delay; as, to hold an enemy in check.
Which gave a remarkable check to the first progress of Christianity.
--Addison.No check, no stay, this streamlet fears.
--Wordsworth. -
Whatever arrests progress, or limits action; an obstacle, guard, restraint, or rebuff.
Useful check upon the administration of government.
--Washington.A man whom no check could abash.
--Macaulay. A mark, certificate, or token, by which, errors may be prevented, or a thing or person may be identified; as, checks placed against items in an account; a check given for baggage; a return check on a railroad.
A written order directing a bank or banker to pay money as therein stated. See Bank check, below.
A woven or painted design in squares resembling the patten of a checkerboard; one of the squares of such a design; also, cloth having such a figure.
(Falconry) The forsaking by a hawk of its proper game to follow other birds.
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Small chick or crack.
Bank check, a written order on a banker or broker to pay money in his keeping belonging to the signer.
Check book, a book containing blank forms for checks upon a bank.
Check hook, a hook on the saddle of a harness, over which a checkrein is looped.
Check list, a list or catalogue by which things may be verified, or on which they may be checked.
Check nut (Mech.), a secondary nut, screwing down upon the primary nut to secure it.
--Knight.Check valve (Mech.), a valve in the feed pipe of a boiler, or other conduit, to prevent the return of the feed water or other fluid.
To take check, to take offense. [Obs.]
--Dryden.Syn: Hindrance; setback; interruption; obstruction; reprimand; censure; rebuke; reproof; repulse; rebuff; tally; counterfoil; counterbalance; ticket; draft.
Usage examples of "check book".
Nothing makes a good technical man angrier than to have some incompetent nitwit with a check book telling him how to do his job.
Considering the balance in my check book and the size of my investment portfolio, I must be good at it.
For the sake of a digression, he took up a check book from the table.
Isabelle would be deserting her check book in the process of deserting Max.
Secretary General Joseph Edgerton Douglas, a check book and other papers, and his brother Jubal had taken great pains to explain to him what money was and how it was used.
There doesn't seem to be anything here that a long check book can't cover.
To symbolize this I hand you these hundred chips, which you must think of as bank credit, or check book money, not as greenbacks, nor metal coin.