Dictionary
Find
in
Dictionary
Thesaurus
Translations

Click to move up the list of words
checker (2)
checkerberry
checkerbloom
checkerboard
checkers
Checkers speech
checking account
checklist
checkmate
checkoff
checkout
checkpoint
Checkpoint Charlie
checkrail
checkrein
checkroom
checksheet
Click to move down the list of words
Print Preview
See pronunciation key
Search for "checkmate" in all of MSN Encarta
E-mail this entry
Download the MSN Encarta Right-Click Dictionary

checkmate

checkmate [ chék mayt ]


noun  (plural checkmates)
Definition:
 
1. winning chess position: in chess, a condition or position in which a player's king cannot escape check and the other player wins the game

2. chess move that ends game: in chess, a move that produces checkmate, or a game that ends in checkmate
The series was declared a draw with three checkmates apiece.

3. complete defeat: a situation of defeat or deadlock



transitive verb  (3rd person present singular checkmates, present participle checkmating, past and past participle checkmated)
Definition:
 
1. trap king in chess: in chess, to put an opponent's king in checkmate

2. thwart somebody: to make it impossible for somebody to succeed or proceed further



interjection 
Definition:
 
announcement of checkmate: in chess, used to announce that an opponent's king is in checkmate

[15th century. Via Old French eschec mat< Persian šāh māt 'the king is dead']
Advertisement

Also on Encarta
Also on MSN
Encarta Message Boards (© Rubberball/Jupiterimages)
© 2009 Microsoft