/chek"mayt'/ , n. , v. , checkmated, checkmating , interj.
n.
1. Also called mate . Chess.
a. an act or instance of maneuvering the opponent's king into a check from which it cannot escape, thus bringing the game to a victorious conclusion.
b. the position of the pieces when a king is checkmated.
2. a complete check; defeat: His efforts to escape met with a checkmate.
v.t.
3. Chess. to maneuver (an opponent's king) into a check from which it cannot escape; mate.
4. to check completely; defeat: Napoleon was checkmated at Waterloo.
interj.
5. Chess. (used by a player to announce that he or she has put the opponent's king into inextricable check.)
[ 1300-50; ME chek mat ( e ) escec mat shah mat
]