Idioms for check
check the helm, Nautical.
to alter the helm of a turning vessel to keep the bow from swinging too far or too rapidly.
in check,
under restraint: He held his anger in check.
Origin of check
1
1275–1325; Middle English
chek, chekke (at chess) < Old French
eschec (by aphesis), variant of
eschac < Arabic
shāh check (at chess) < Persian: literally, king (an exclamation: i.e., look out, your king is threatened); see
shah
synonym study for check
1. See
stop.
2.
Check,
curb,
repress,
restrain refer to putting a control on movement, progress, action, etc.
Check implies arresting suddenly, halting or causing to halt:
to check a movement toward reform.
Curb implies the use of a means such as a chain, strap, frame, wall, etc., to guide or control or to force to stay within definite limits:
to curb a horse.
Repress, formerly meaning to suppress, now implies preventing the action or development that might naturally be expected:
to repress evidence of excitement.
Restrain implies the use of force to put under control, or chiefly, to hold back:
to restrain a person from violent acts.
OTHER WORDS FROM check
check·less, adjectiveWords nearby check
British Dictionary definitions for check off (1 of 2)
check off
verb (tr, adverb)
to mark with a tick
to deduct (union contributions) directly from an employee's pay
noun check-off
a procedure whereby an employer deducts union contributions directly from an employee's pay and pays the money to the union
British Dictionary definitions for check off (2 of 2)
check
/ (tʃɛk) /
verb
noun
interjection
chess
a call made to an opponent indicating that his king is in check
mainly US and Canadian
an expression of agreement
Derived forms of check
checkable, adjectiveWord Origin for check
C14: from Old French
eschec a check at chess, hence, a pause (to verify something), via Arabic from Persian
shāh the king! (in chess)
Idioms and Phrases with check off (1 of 2)
check off
Mark as entered, or examined and passed, as in He checked off their names as they arrived. [Early 1800s]
Idioms and Phrases with check off (2 of 2)
check