chess

¹ American  

[ches] / tʃɛs /

noun

1. a game played on a chessboard by two people who maneuver sixteen pieces each according to rules governing movement of the six kinds of pieces (pawn, rook, knight, bishop, queen, king), the object being to bring the opponent's king into checkmate.

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chess ² American  

[ches] / tʃɛs /

noun

plural

chesses

1. any of several weedy species of bromegrass, especially Bromus secalinus.

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chess ³ American  

[ches] / tʃɛs /

noun

plural

chess, chesses

1. one of the planks forming the roadway of a floating bridge.

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chess ¹ British  

/ tʃɛs /

noun

1. a game of skill for two players using a chessboard on which chessmen are moved. Initially each player has one king, one queen, two rooks, two bishops, two knights, and eight pawns, which have different types of moves according to kind. The object is to checkmate the opponent's king

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chess ² British  

/ tʃɛs /

noun

1. a less common name for rye-brome

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chess ³ British  

/ tʃɛs /

noun

1. a floorboard of the deck of a pontoon bridge

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Etymology

Origin of chess¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English che(e)s, chesse, echesse, esches, from Old French esches, plural of eschec check ¹

Origin of chess²

First recorded in 1735–40; origin unknown

Origin of chess³

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English ches “tier, layer,” possibly alteration of Middle French chasse “frame”

Example Sentences

Colonists played chess, checkers, dominoes and backgammon, among other diversions.

From The Wall Street Journal

High-intensity aerobic exercise, learning new languages and taking on cognitively demanding hobbies like chess can bolster your brain’s neuroplastic abilities, while things like chronic stress can hinder it.

From Science Daily

That they lift weights like sprinters, strategise like chess players, and fuel like Tour de France cyclists?

From BBC

The 10 curlers who are representing Team GB in Cortina right now lift weights like sprinters, strategise like chess players, and fuel like Tour de France cyclists.

From BBC

Almost like a chess piece on a chess board.

From Barron's