Check

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /t͡ʃɛk/

Definitions

1. To examine something to ensure it is correct or in good condition ; to mark an item to show it has been verified or selected ; a document instructing a bank to pay a specific amount to a person or organization
2. To inspect or review carefully for accuracy or quality ; to place a symbol as proof of approval or selection ; a formal order directing payment from a bank account
3. To assess the status or authenticity of an object or information ; to put a checkmark as confirmation or choice ; a negotiable instrument that commands a bank to pay funds to the bearer or named party

Etymology: The English word "check" began as a chess term. Its ancestor is the Persian word for "king," "shah," which travelled through Arabic, where "shah" also named the king on the chessboard and the threat to him. Medieval Latin turned it into "scaccus," and Old French made it "eschec," and English borrowed that as "chek" in the Middle Ages. The verb "to check" in its chess sense meant to put the king under attack, and that is the root of every other sense in English. The noun meanings grew out of that same chess idea of a threat that must be answered. A check came to mean a sudden halt or restraint, and then a means of testing or verifying something, so that to check a thing is to confirm it is safe or genuine. The bank "check" is a later extension of the same family: it is a written order that a bank must honour, a form of control over the money held there.

Synonyms: verify, inspect, examine, review, confirm

Antonyms: ignore, neglect