As a verb, “check” means to look at something carefully to make sure it is correct, safe, or in good condition. As a noun, it can mean a mark to show something has been done, a written order to pay money from a bank account, or the bill at a restaurant.
“Check” comes from Old French “eschec,” from Persian and Arabic words for “king” used in the game of chess. The idea of stopping the king in chess grew into the idea of stopping, limiting, or verifying things in everyday life.
The same word that shouts “checkmate!” in chess also sits on your restaurant table as the “check.” The idea is always some kind of stop or control—stopping the king, stopping mistakes, or stopping your meal with the bill. Even the checkmark ✔ is like a tiny signal saying, “This can stop now; it’s done.”
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.