A stone or block used to stop or wedge something in place, preventing movement or slipping.
From 'check' (to stop or control) + 'stone' (a hard rock). The word emerged in English around the 1800s to describe stones used in construction and masonry to secure or stabilize structures.
Medieval builders used checkstones to level uneven foundations without mortar—a clever solution before modern leveling tools existed. You'll find them still holding up old stone walls across Britain and Europe.
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