check out

British  

verb

1. (intr) to pay the bill and depart, esp from a hotel

2. (intr) to depart from a place; record one's departure from work

3. to investigate or prove to be in order after investigation

   the police checked out all the statements

   their credentials checked out

4. informal (tr) to have a look at; inspect

   check out the wally in the pink shirt

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noun

1. 1. the latest time for vacating a room in a hotel, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      checkout time

2. a counter, esp in a supermarket, where customers pay

check out Idioms  

1. Record one's departure from a hotel by paying the bill, or from a conference or other function, as in As soon as my bags are packed I'll check out of the motel . [Early 1900s]

2. Leave hurriedly, make a quick exit, as in The minute I get paid I'm checking out . [ Slang ; 1920s]

3. Die, as in When he got cholera, he was sure he'd check out . [ Slang ; 1920s]

4. Withdraw an item after recording the withdrawal, as in I'll check out the tapes on your library card . [1930s]

5. Record, total the prices, and receive payment for a purchase, as in The cashier checked out and bagged my groceries in record time .

6. . Investigate or evaluate something or someone; observe carefully. For example, I don't know if you'll like the film; check it out yourself , or That man who's staring is probably just checking us out . [ Slang ; mid-1900s]

7. Pass close inspection, as in That rattle made me suspicious, but the repairman said the machine checked out completely .

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Example Sentences

Check out the chart below, which shows that investments of $95 a month beginning at age 20 can turn into $1 million by age 65, depending on how the markets perform.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 28, 2026

Check out what the data says, and weigh in here.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

Check out the latest Los Angeles Times top 25 high school baseball rankings.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 9, 2026

Check out LinkedIn learning or professional learning courses offered by universities and community colleges.

From Barron's • Feb. 7, 2026

"Check out the scratches on it. Those are the marks the pen made when Daisy wrote the recipe on the top page."

From "Scream for Ice Cream: Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew, #2" by Carolyn Keene

Related Words

• inspect
• investigate