check

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   the act of inspecting or verifying

   they made a check of their equipment

2. 2
   noun

   a textile pattern of squares or crossed lines, resembling a checkerboard

   We wore skirts with checks.

3. 3
   noun

   additional proof that something that was believed is correct, such as some fact, hypothesis, or theory

   We received a check once our report was analyzed.

4. 4
   noun

   the bill in a restaurant

   I asked the waiter for the check.

5. 5
   noun

   a mark indicating that something has been noted or completed

   As I called the role I put a check mark by each student's name.

6. 6
   noun

   a written order directing a bank to pay money

   We paid all our bills by check.

7. 7
   verb

   to make cracks or chinks in

   The heat checked the paint.

8. 8
   verb

   to arrest the motion of something abruptly

   I checked the flow of water by shutting off the main valve.

Etymology

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, Dani…