check

check
\ \ There are two distinct words check in English, although by very involved pathways they are related. Checkverify’ [14] is originally a chess term meaning ‘threaten the king’. It comes from Old French eschequier, a derivative of the noun eschec (source also of English chess), which goes back via Vulgar Latin *scaccus and Arabic shāh to Persian shāhking’ (whence also, of course, English shah). (Checkmate [14] comes via Old French eschec mat from Persian shāh mātthe king is left helpless’; the second element turns up again in mat or mattlustreless’.) From the very specific chess sense there developed more general applications such as ‘attack’, ‘arrest’, ‘stop’, ‘restrict’, and ‘verify’. Among these in the 18th century was ‘token used as a counterfoil for verifying something, such as an amount’. As check this survives mainly in American English (as in ‘hat-check’), but in the specific financial sense of ‘written money order’ it was transformed in British English into cheque, perhaps under the influence of exchequer. Checkpattern of squares’ [14] is probably short for chequer, which in turn is a reduced form of exchequer, a word derived ultimately from Vulgar Latin *scaccuscheck’.
\ \ Cf.CHEQUE, CHESS, EXCHEQUER

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • check — check …   Dictionnaire des rimes

  • Check-in — Check in …   Deutsch Wörterbuch

  • check — n 1: something that limits or restrains see also checks and balances 2: a written order signed by its maker directing a bank to pay a specified sum to a named person or to that person s order on demand see also negotiable instrument compa …   Law dictionary

  • Check-In — am Flughafen Vancouver Der Check in ist der Abfertigungsvorgang für Reisende zur Feststellung der Anwesenheit und zur Feststellung der mitgeführten Gepäckmenge. Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 Flugreisen …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Check in — am Flughafen Vancouver Der Check in ist der Abfertigungsvorgang für Reisende zur Feststellung der Anwesenheit und zur Feststellung der mitgeführten Gepäckmenge. Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 Flugreisen …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Check on It — «Check On It» Сингл Бейонсе при участии Slim Thug из альбома #1 s …   Википедия

  • Check on It — Single por Beyoncé con Slim Thug del álbum #1 s, algunas ediciones de B Day Lanzado Diciembre, 2005 …   Wikipedia Español

  • 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}.] 1. (Chess) A word of warning… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • check-up — [ (t)ʃɛkɶp ] n. m. inv. • v. 1960; mot angl. « vérification complète », de to check « vérifier » ♦ Anglic. Examen systématique de l état de santé d une personne (équiv. fr. : bilan de santé). Examen d une situation pour en tirer un bilan. ⇒ audit …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • check — [chek] n. [ME chek < OFr eschec, eschac, a check at chess, repulse < ML scaccus, scahus < Pers šāh, king, principal piece in a game of chess (see SHAH1); prob. sense development: king in danger hostile action restraining action means of… …   English World dictionary

  • Check — Check, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Checked} (ch[e^]kt); p. pr. & vb. n. {checking}.] 1. (Chess) To make a move which puts an adversary s piece, esp. his king, in check; to put in check. [1913 Webster] 2. To put a sudden restraint upon; to stop… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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