A.Word.A.Day--checkmate

A.Word.A.Day

Home

checkmate

(CHEK-mayt)

noun:	1. A move that places the king in a position from which there is no escape, as every move results in defeat
	2. Complete defeat.
verb tr.:	1. To maneuver an opponent's king in checkmate.
	2. To place in an inextricable situation.
	3. To defeat completely.
interj.:	A call by a chess player that his or her move has placed opponent's king in such a manner that escape is impossible

[From Middle English chekmat, from Middle French escec mat, from Arabic shah (king), mat (dead, nonplussed).]

"An army of the British East India Company, still in charge of imperial India, moved into Kabul in 1839 to checkmate the Russian advances -- real and imagined -- in Central Asia, the Himalayas and Tibet." Barbara Crossette; Afghanistan, For Ages an Affliction to Mighty Empires, Is Not Easily Subdued; The New York Times; Sep 18, 2001.

X-Bonus

The wastebasket is a writer's best friend. -Isaac Bashevis Singer, writer, Nobel laureate (1904-1991)

We need your help

Help us continue to spread the magic of words to readers everywhere

Donate

Subscriber Services
Awards | Stats | Links | Privacy Policy
Contribute | Advertise