check

• enPR: chĕk, IPA^(key): /t͡ʃɛk/, [t͡ʃɛk̚]

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Homophones: cheque, Czech
• Rhymes: -ɛk

From Middle English chek, chekke, borrowed from Old French eschek, eschec, eschac, from Medieval Latin scaccus, borrowed from Arabic شَاه (šāh, “king or check at chess, shah”), borrowed from Classical Persian شَاه (šāh, “king”), from Middle Persian 𐭬𐭫𐭪𐭠 (mlkʾ /⁠šāh⁠/), from Old Persian 𐏋 (XŠ /⁠xšāyaθiya⁠/, “king”), from Proto-Indo-Iranian *kšáyati (“he rules, he has power over”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *tek- (“to gain power over, gain control over”). All of the English senses developed from the chess sense. Compare Saterland Frisian Schak, Schach, Dutch schaak, German Schach, Danish skak, Swedish schack, Icelandic skák, French échec, Italian scacco. See chess and shah (“king of Persia or Iran”), from the same source.

check (plural checks)

1. An inspection or examination.

   I don't know if she will be there, but it's worth a check.

2. A control; a limit or stop.

   checks and balances

   The castle moat should hold the enemy in check.

   • 2024 December 11 (Gregorian calendar), Joseph Addison, “The Free-holder: No. 33. Wednesday, November 30. [1716.]”, in The Works of the Right Honourable Joseph Addison, Esq; […], volume IV, London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], published 1721, →OCLC:

     a remarkable check to the first progress of Christianity

4. (chess) A situation in which the king is directly threatened by an opposing piece. [from 14th c.]
5. (US) A mark (especially a checkmark: ✓) used as an indicator.

   Synonyms: (UK) tick, checkmark

   • 1980, Stephen King, The Mist:

     Norton had made a neat, lawyerly check beside each of the items he and Billy had picked up—half a dozen or so, including the milk and a six-pack of Coke.

6. (US) An order to a bank to pay money to a named person or entity.

   Synonym: (UK, Canada) cheque

   I was not carrying cash, so I wrote a check for the amount.

7. (US) A bill, particularly in a restaurant.

   Synonyms: bill, (Canada) cheque

   I summoned the waiter, paid the check, and hurried to leave.

8. (contact sports) A maneuver performed by a player to take another player out of the play.

   The hockey player gave a good hard check to obtain the puck.

   • 2024 February 4, David Hytner, “Arsenal ignite title hopes as Gabriel Martinelli punishes Liverpool error”, in The Guardian‎^[1]:

     Liverpool had been reduced to 10 men in the 88th minute, Ibrahima Konaté collecting a second yellow card for a check on Kai Havertz.

9. A token used instead of cash in gaming machines, or in gambling generally.
   • 1963, American law reports annotated: second series, volume 89:

     […] the statute prohibits a machine which dispenses checks or tokens for replay […]

10. A lengthwise separation through the growth rings in wood.
11. A mark, certificate, or token by which errors may be prevented, or a thing or person may be identified.

    a check given for baggage

    a return check on a railroad

12. (falconry) The forsaking by a hawk of its proper game to follow other birds. [from 15th c.]
13. A small chink or crack.

• check on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

From Middle English chekken, partly from Old French eschequier and partly from the noun (see above).

check (third-person singular simple present checks, present participle checking, simple past and past participle checked)

2. (transitive) To inspect; to examine.

   Check the oil in your car once a month.

   Check whether this page has a watermark.

3. (transitive) To verify the accuracy of a text or translation, usually making some corrections (proofread) or many (copyedit).
4. (transitive, US, often used with "off") To mark items on a list (with a checkmark or by crossing them out) that have been chosen for keeping or removal or that have been dealt with (for example, completed or verified as correct or satisfactory).

   Synonyms: check off, (UK) tick, (UK) tick off, cross off, strike off

   Antonym: uncheck

   Check the items on the list that interest you.

   Check the correct answer to each question.

6. (transitive) To control, limit, or halt.

   Synonyms: curtail, restrain; see also Thesaurus:curb

   Check your enthusiasm during a negotiation.

   • c. 1775–1780, Edmund Burke, letter to the Sheriffs of Bristol

     so many clogs to check and retard the headlong course of violence and oppression

   • 1922 February, James Joyce, “[Episode 13]”, in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company, […], →OCLC:

     She was about to retort but something checked the words on her tongue.

7. (informal, transitive) To scold or rebuke someone.
8. (transitive) To verify or compare with a source of information.

   Check your data against known values.

10. (transitive) To leave in safekeeping.

    Check your hat and coat at the door.

11. (transitive) To leave with a shipping agent for shipping.

    Check your bags at the ticket counter before the flight.

12. (street basketball, transitive) To pass or bounce the ball to an opponent from behind the three-point line and have the opponent pass or bounce it back to start play.

    He checked the ball and then proceeded to perform a perfect layup.

    That basket doesn't count—you forgot to check!

13. (sports, transitive) To disrupt another player with the stick or body to obtain possession of the ball or puck.

    Synonyms: tackle, trap, attack

    The hockey player checked the defenceman to obtain the puck.

14. (poker, transitive) To announce that one is remaining in a hand without betting.

    Tom didn't think he could win, so he checked.

15. (chess, transitive) To make a move which puts an adversary's king in check; to put in check.

    After I checked my opponent with a pawn, he resigned immediately.

16. (transitive) To chide, rebuke, or reprove.
    • c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]:

      The good king, his master, will check him for it.

17. (nautical) To slack or ease off, as a brace which is too stiffly extended.
18. To crack or gape open, as wood in drying; or to crack in small checks, as varnish, paint, etc.
19. (transitive) To make checks or chinks in; to cause to crack.

    The sun checks timber.

20. (intransitive, with at) To make a stop; to pause.
    • a. 1705, John Locke, “Of the Conduct of the Understanding”, in Posthumous Works of Mr. John Locke: […], London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], published 1706, →OCLC:

      The mind, once jaded by an attempt above its power, either is disabled for the future, or else checks at any vigorous undertaking ever after.

21. (obsolete) To clash or interfere.
    • 1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Love”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC:

      For if it [Loue] checke once with businesse, it troubleth Mens fortunes.

22. To act as a curb or restraint.
    • 1677 (first performance), John Dryden, All for Love: Or, The World Well Lost. A Tragedy, […], [London]: […] Tho[mas] Newcomb, for Henry Herringman, […], published 1678, →OCLC, (please specify the page number):

      It [his presence] checks too strong upon me.

23. (falconry) To turn, when in pursuit of proper game, and fly after other birds.
    • c. 1601–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or What You Will”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:

      And like the haggard, check at every feather
      That comes before his eye.

• → Brazilian Portuguese: checar
• → Cantonese: check
• → Finnish: tsekata
• → German: checken
• → Gulf Arabic: چيك (čayyak)
• → Hijazi Arabic: شَيَّك (šayyak)
• → Hungarian: csekkol
• → Russian: че́кать (čékatʹ)
• → Russian: че́кнуть (čéknutʹ)
• → Russian: проче́кать (pročékatʹ)
• → Spanish: chequear, checar (Mexico)

check

1. An expression showing that a requirement has been satisfied.

   Keys? Check. Batteries? Check. We are all ready to go!

2. An expression that indicates that the speaker wishes to pay the bill (e.g. in a restaurant).

By shortening from chequer, from Old French eschequier (“chessboard”), from Medieval Latin scaccarium, ultimately from the same Persian root as above.

check (plural checks)

1. (textiles, usually pluralized) A pattern made up of a grid of squares of alternating colors; a checkered pattern.

   The tablecloth had red and white checks.

   • 1819, Charles Mowry, in the Downington Pennsylvania American Republican, quoted in Herbery Wisbey, Pioneer Prophetess: Jemima Wilkinson, the Publick Universal Friend:

     One of her female followers, had made a very elegant piece of check. The Friend, being at her house, on a visit, the lady shewed the check to her, and as evidence of devotion to her leader, proposed presenting her with a pattern off the piece for her own use.

2. Any fabric woven with such a pattern.

check (third-person singular simple present checks, present participle checking, simple past and past participle checked)

1. (transitive) To mark with a check pattern.

check (not comparable)

1. (heraldry, rare, possibly only as a printing error) Checky, i.e. chequy.
   • 1741, Ephraim Chambers, Cyclopaedia: Or an Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences (etc.) 5. Ed:

     CHECKY, [...] Checky, according to Colombiere, is one of the most noble and ancient figures [...] Checky is always composed of metal, and colour. [...] So that if that be or, and the next gules, the house or family is said to bear check, or, and gules. When the whole shield is not chequered , but only the chief, a bend, cross, or the like, the number of ranges should be expressed.

   • 1825, Robert Trotter (the Younger.), Derwentwater; Or, the Adherents of King James. A Tale of the First Rebellion. With an Appendix, Containing Genealogical Notices and Anecdotes of Several Ancient and Honourable Families, page 115:

     He died about 1270; and his son, Sir Robert, assisted the brave Sir William Wallace, and died in 1800. BOYD ARMS. Azure, a fesse check, argent et gules.

• Michael Quinion (2004) “Cheque”, in Ballyhoo, Buckaroo, and Spuds: Ingenious Tales of Words and Their Origins, Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Books in association with Penguin Books, →ISBN.
• Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “check”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.

Borrowed from English check.

check

1. (Hong Kong Cantonese) to check

   • 周卿家，同朕再check下，睇下各地各省仲有冇人欠稅，朕要將啲稅項一次過追返晒返嚟。 [Cantonese, trad.]
     周卿家，同朕再check下，睇下各地各省仲有冇人欠税，朕要将啲税项一次过追返晒返嚟。 [Cantonese, simp.]

     From: 2003, 帝女花 [Perish in the Name of Love], spoken by 崇禎帝 [Chongzhen Emperor] (Moses Chan)

     zau¹ hing¹ gaa¹, tung⁴ zam⁶ zoi³ cek¹ haa⁵, tai² haa⁵ gok³ dei⁶ gok³ saang² zung⁶ jau⁵ mou⁵ jan⁴ him³ seoi³, zam⁶ jiu³ zoeng¹ di¹ seoi³ hong⁶ jat¹ ci³ gwo³ zeoi¹ faan¹ saai³ faan¹ lei⁴. [Jyutping]

     Minister Chow, please check this for me; see if there are still people across the country who have not paid their taxes yet. I shall recall all of these taxes at once. (The usage of this term in this scenario is considered inappropriate because it was said in a historical drama)

• 檢查／检查 (gim² caa⁴); 查 (caa4)

check

1. (Hong Kong Cantonese) cheque; check (Classifier: 張／张 c)

   alt. forms: cheque

• 支票 (zhīpiào)

From English cheque, check, from Old French eschek (“check (in chess)”), via Medieval Latin scaccus and Arabic شَاه (šāh) from Persian شاه (šâh, “king”) (cf. also Danish skak).

• IPA^(key): [ˈɕɛɡ̊]

check c

1. cheque

• Audio:

  (file)

check

1. inflection of checken:
   1. first-person singular present indicative
   2. (in case of inversion) second-person singular present indicative
   3. imperative

• IPA^(key): /tʃɛk/

• Audio (Canada):

  (file)

check m (plural checks)

1. (slang) fist bump

check

1. Alternative form of chek

check m (plural checks)

1. check (mark)

From English check.

• IPA^(key): /ɕɛkː/^[1]
• Homophones: käck, tjeck

check c

1. cheque, check