checkmate

English

Etymology

From Middle English chekmat, from Old French eschec mat, from Arabic شَاه مَاتَ (šāh māta), from Classical Persian شاه مات (šāh māt, “the king [is] amazed”).

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /ˈt͡ʃɛkmeɪt/
  • Audio (US)(file)

Interjection

checkmate

  1. (chess) Word called out by the victor when making a move that wins the game.
  2. (by extension) Said when one has placed a person in a losing situation with no escape.

Alternative forms

Synonyms

Translations

Noun

checkmate (countable and uncountable, plural checkmates)

  1. The conclusive victory in a game of chess that occurs when an opponent's king is threatened with unavoidable capture.
  2. (figuratively, by extension) Any losing situation with no escape; utter defeat.

Derived terms

Translations
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Verb

checkmate (third-person singular simple present checkmates, present participle checkmating, simple past and past participle checkmated)

  1. (transitive, chess) To put the king of an opponent into checkmate.
    That jerk checkmated me in four moves!
  2. (transitive, by extension) To place in a losing situation that has no escape.

Translations
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Translations to be checked
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