noun

1. 1. under the Norman kings of England, an administrative and judicial state department in charge of revenue: so called from a table marked into squares, on which accounts of revenue were kept with counters
   2. later, the British Court of Exchequer, which had jurisdiction over all cases relating to government revenue, now merged in the Queen's Bench Division of the High Court of Justice
   3. the British state department in charge of the national revenue
2. the funds in the British treasury
3. a treasury, as of a country or organization
4. money in one's possession; funds; finances

Etymology: ME escheker, lit., chessboard, court of revenue, treasury < OFr eschekier: see checker