CHECKMATE

checkmate, mate

(noun) a chess move constituting an inescapable and indefensible attack on the opponent’s king

checkmate

(noun) complete victory

checkmate, mate

(verb) place an opponent’s king under an attack from which it cannot escape and thus ending the game; “Kasparov checkmated his opponent after only a few moves”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Interjection

checkmate

(chess) Word called out by the victor when making a move that wins the game.

(by extension) Said when one has checkmated someone (placed them in a losing situation with no escape.)

Synonyms

• (chess): mate

Noun

checkmate (plural checkmates)

The conclusive victory in a game of chess that occurs when an opponent's king is threatened with unavoidable capture.

(figuratively, by extension) Any losing situation with no escape; utter defeat.

Verb

checkmate (third-person singular simple present checkmates, present participle checkmating, simple past and past participle checkmated)

(transitive, chess) To put the king of an opponent into checkmate.

(transitive, by extension) To place in a losing situation that has no escape.

References

Source: Wiktionary

Check"mate, n. Etym: [F. échec et mat, fr. Per. shah mat ceckmate, lit., the king is dead, fr. Ar. mata he died, is dead. The king, when made prisoner, or checkmated, is assumed to be dead, and the game is finished. See Chess.]

1. The position in the game of chess when a king is in check and cannot be released, -- which ends the game.

2. A complete check; utter defeat or overthrow.

Check"mate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Checkmated; p. pr. & vb. n. Checkmating.]

1. (Chess)

Definition: To check (an adversary's king) in such a manner that escape in impossible; to defeat (an adversary) by putting his king in check from which there is no escape.

2. To defeat completely; to terminate; to thwart. To checkmate and control my just demands. Ford.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition