exchequer

[ eks-chek-er, iks-chek-er ]
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noun
  1. a treasury, as of a state or nation.

  2. (in Great Britain)

    • (often initial capital letter) the governmental department in charge of the public revenues.

    • (formerly) an office administering the royal revenues and determining all cases affecting them.

    • (initial capital letter)Also called Court of Exchequer. an ancient common-law court of civil jurisdiction in which cases affecting the revenues of the crown were tried, now merged in the King's Bench Division of the High Court.

  1. Informal. one's financial resources; funds: I'd love to go, but the exchequer is a bit low.

Origin of exchequer

1
1250–1300; Middle English escheker, eschequier<Anglo-French escheker, eschekier (Old French eschequier) chessboard, counting table. See checker1

Words Nearby exchequer

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How to use exchequer in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for exchequer (1 of 2)

exchequer

/ (ɪksˈtʃɛkə) /


noun
  1. (often capital) government (in Britain and certain other countries) the accounting department of the Treasury, responsible for receiving and issuing funds

  2. informal personal funds; finances

Origin of exchequer

1
C13 (in the sense: chessboard, counting table): from Old French eschequier, from eschec check

British Dictionary definitions for Exchequer (2 of 2)

Exchequer

/ (ɪksˈtʃɛkə) /


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