checkmate

American  

[chek-meyt] / ˈtʃɛkˌmeɪt /

noun

1. Also called mate.  Chess.

   1. an act or instance of maneuvering the opponent's king into a check from which it cannot escape, thus bringing the game to a victorious conclusion.

   2. the position of the pieces when a king is checkmated.

2. a complete check; defeat.

   His efforts to escape met with a checkmate.

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verb (used with object)

checkmated, checkmating

1. Chess.  to maneuver (an opponent's king) into a check from which it cannot escape; mate.

2. to check completely; defeat.

   Napoleon was checkmated at Waterloo.

interjection

1. Chess.  (used by a player to announce that they have put the opponent's king into inextricable check.)

checkmate British  

/ ˈtʃɛkˌmeɪt /

noun

1. chess

   1. the winning position in which an opponent's king is under attack and unable to escape

   2. the move by which this position is achieved

2. utter defeat

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verb

1. chess to place (an opponent's king) in checkmate

2. to thwart or render powerless

interjection

1. chess a call made when placing an opponent's king in checkmate

Other Word Forms

• uncheckmated adjective

Etymology

Origin of checkmate

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English chek mat(e), from Middle French escec mat, from Arabic shāh māt, from Persian: literally, “the king (is) checked, nonplussed”

Example Sentences

But will either help their team to a checkmate position by full-time?

From BBC

He has checkmated establishment Republicans with their own cowardice and hypocrisy.

From Los Angeles Times

Still, by embedding Pakistan in the security architecture of the Middle East, the deal "checkmates India" and leaves its neighbour anchored to three patrons - China, Turkey and now Saudi Arabia, Mr Kugelman said.

From BBC

If this is supposed to be some 4-D chess move, it looks an awful lot like checkmate — for the wrong side.

From Salon

If Harris is elected president in November, the checkmated governor’s political ambitions will almost certainly be placed on hold for at least the next four years.

From Los Angeles Times