checkmate

Meaning

Intj

1. Word called out by the victor when making a move that wins the game.
2. (broadly) Said when one has placed a person in a losing situation with no escape.

Noun

1. (countable, uncountable) The conclusive victory in a game of chess that occurs when an opponent's king is threatened with unavoidable capture.
2. (broadly, countable, figuratively, uncountable) Any losing situation with no escape; utter defeat.

Verb

1. (transitive) To put the king of an opponent into checkmate.
2. (broadly, transitive) To place in a losing situation that has no escape.

Synonyms

mate

🧉

check

check and mate

thwart

inhibit

maneuver

overcome

bowl over

restraint

stalemate

stall

stave off

be at bay

riot police

defeat utterly

overmaster

control

corner

final stage

Translations

échec et mat

jaque mate

scacco matto

xeque-mate

Schachmatt

escac i mat

schaakmat

ματ

mate

schachmatt

mat

mater

Matt

🧉

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈt͡ʃɛkmeɪt/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: chekmat

In summary

From Middle English chekmat, from Old French eschec mat, from Arabic شَاه مَاتَ (šāh māta), from Classical Persian شاه مات (šāh māt, “the king [is] amazed”).