check out

British  

verb

1. (intr) to pay the bill and depart, esp from a hotel

2. (intr) to depart from a place; record one's departure from work

3. to investigate or prove to be in order after investigation

   the police checked out all the statements

   their credentials checked out

4. informal (tr) to have a look at; inspect

   check out the wally in the pink shirt

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noun

1. 1. the latest time for vacating a room in a hotel, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      checkout time

2. a counter, esp in a supermarket, where customers pay

check out Idioms  

1. Record one's departure from a hotel by paying the bill, or from a conference or other function, as in As soon as my bags are packed I'll check out of the motel . [Early 1900s]

2. Leave hurriedly, make a quick exit, as in The minute I get paid I'm checking out . [ Slang ; 1920s]

3. Die, as in When he got cholera, he was sure he'd check out . [ Slang ; 1920s]

4. Withdraw an item after recording the withdrawal, as in I'll check out the tapes on your library card . [1930s]

5. Record, total the prices, and receive payment for a purchase, as in The cashier checked out and bagged my groceries in record time .

6. . Investigate or evaluate something or someone; observe carefully. For example, I don't know if you'll like the film; check it out yourself , or That man who's staring is probably just checking us out . [ Slang ; mid-1900s]

7. Pass close inspection, as in That rattle made me suspicious, but the repairman said the machine checked out completely .

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Example Sentences

If you’d like to read more about my broader philosophy around no-spend weeks, you can check out my full guide here.

From Salon • May 12, 2026

Universal’s “Miami Vice ’85” movie reboot won’t come out until 2028, but fans of the neon-hued South Florida crime genre looking to scratch that itch can check out “M.I.A.”

From MarketWatch • Apr. 30, 2026

If you’re an artificial-intelligence startup or investor in China, you can check in but you can’t check out.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 27, 2026

Red Bull invited me to check out their three-story social hub and hospitality destination at Coachella, which included a Nobu omakase dinner on the top floor.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026

I’d love to check out a book about whales.

From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy

Related Words

• inspect
• investigate