noun

1. a sudden stop; abrupt halt
2. any restraint or control put upon action
3. a person or thing that restrains or controls
4. a supervision of accuracy, efficiency, etc.
5. 1. a test, comparison, examination, etc. to determine if something is as it should be
   2. a standard or sample used in making such a determination
6. a mark (✓) to show approval or verification of something, or to call attention to it
7. ☆ an identification ticket or other token enabling one to claim an item left in a checkroom, etc. a hat check
8. ☆ one's bill at a restaurant or bar
9. ☆ Now Rare a gambling chip
10. a written order to a bank to pay the stated amount of money from one's account
11. 1. a pattern of small squares like that of a chessboard
    2. one of these squares
12. a fabric with such a pattern
13. a small split, crack, or chink
14. Obsolete a rebuke; reprimand
15. Chess the condition of a king that is in danger of capture on the opponent's next move: when in such a condition, one's king must, if possible, be protected
16. Hockey a blocking or bumping of an opponent

Etymology: ME chek < OFr eschec, eschac, a check at chess, repulse < ML scaccus, scahus < Pers šāh, king, principal piece in a game of chess (see shah); prob. sense development: king in danger — hostile action — restraining action — means of restraint or control

interjection

1. Informal agreed; I understand; right; OK
2. Chess used to signify that one's opponent's king is in check

transitive verb

1. to cause to stop suddenly; halt abruptly
2. to hold back; restrain; control
3. to rebuff, repulse, or rebuke
4. to test, measure, verify, or control by investigation, comparison, or examination check the accounts
5. to mark with a check (✓)
6. to mark with a pattern of squares
7. ☆ to deposit or receive for deposit temporarily, as in a checkroom
8. ☆ to get (esp. luggage) cleared for shipment
9. to make chinks or cracks in
10. ☆ Agric. to plant in checkrows
11. Chess to place (an opponent's king) in check
12. Hockey to block or bump (an opponent)
13. Naut. to reduce the strain on (a line) by letting it out gradually

intransitive verb

1. ☆ to agree with one another, item for item the accounts check
2. ☆ to investigate in order to determine the condition, validity, etc. of something: often with on
3. ☆ to draw a check on a bank account
4. to crack in small checks cheap paint may check
5. to stop or halt; specif., to pause, as a hunting dog, to pick up the scent
6. Falconry to turn from the pursuit of one prey to follow a lesser one (with at)
7. ☆ Poker to decline one's chance to open a round of betting

adjective

1. used to check or verify a check experiment
2. having a crisscross pattern; checked