check

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

• noun The act or an instance of inspecting or testing something, as for accuracy or quality.
• noun A standard for inspecting or evaluating; a test.
• noun A check mark.
• noun A ticket or slip of identification.
• noun A bill at a restaurant or bar.
• noun A chip or counter used in gambling.
• noun Something that stops or slows down motion, action, or expression; a restraint.
• noun The condition of being stopped or held back; restraint.
• noun A stopping or slowing down of something.
• noun Sports The act of blocking or impeding an opponent with the puck in ice hockey, either with one's body or one's stick.
• noun A written order to a bank to pay the amount specified from funds on deposit; a draft.
• noun A pattern of small squares, as on a chessboard.
• noun One of the squares of such a pattern.
• noun A fabric patterned with squares.
• noun A move in chess that directly attacks an opponent's king but does not constitute a checkmate.
• noun The position or condition of a king so attacked.
• noun A small crack; a chink.
• interjection Games Used to declare that a chess opponent's king is in check.
• interjection Informal Used to express agreement or understanding.
• intransitive verb To inspect so as to determine accuracy, quality, or other condition; test.
• intransitive verb To verify by consulting a source or authority.
• intransitive verb To put a check mark on or next to.
• intransitive verb To arrest or slow the motion or progress of.
• intransitive verb To hold in restraint; curb: synonym: restrain.
• intransitive verb Baseball To stop (the swing of the bat) in an attempt to avoid swinging at a pitch that is out of the strike zone.
• intransitive verb Sports To block or impede (an opposing player with the ball or puck), as in ice hockey, by using one's body or one's stick.
• intransitive verb To deposit or consign for safekeeping or shipment.
• intransitive verb Games To move in chess so as to put (an opponent's king) under direct attack.
• intransitive verb To make cracks or chinks in.
• intransitive verb To make an examination or investigation; inquire.
• intransitive verb To be verified or confirmed; pass inspection.
• intransitive verb To agree point for point; correspond.
• intransitive verb Sports To block or impede an opposing player with the ball or puck, as in ice hockey.
• intransitive verb To come to an abrupt halt; stop.
• intransitive verb To write a check on a bank account.
• intransitive verb To undergo cracking in a pattern of checks, as paint does.
• intransitive verb To place a chess opponent's king in check.
• intransitive verb In certain card games, to announce that one is declining the option of making a bet.
• intransitive verb To pause to relocate a scent. Used of hunting dogs.