checkmate

  1. Interjection.  (chess) Word called out by the victor when making the conclusive move.
  2. Noun.  The conclusive victory in a game of chess that occurs when an opponent's king is threatened with unavoidable capture.
  3. Noun.  (figuratively, by extension) Any situation that has no obvious escape and involves some personal loss.
  4. Verb.  (transitive, chess) To put the king of an opponent into checkmate.
  5. Verb.  (transitive, by extension) To lead to a situation that has no obvious escape without some personal loss.

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This entry was last updated on RefTopia from its source on 3/20/2012.