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

See Examples For:

check out

As part of their "summer bucket list", they are planning to check out all the parks in the local area and she is prioritising low-cost activities throughout the summer.

From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026

Also, we’ll explain more in tomorrow’s Your Morning Slate, but if you’re looking for a surprisingly good watch from a rival platform, check out HBO’s Stuart Fails to Save the Universe.

From Slate ● Jul. 23, 2026

Grab your old Strunk and White, or check out “The Elements of Style” online.

From Salon ● Jul. 6, 2026

I joined online as a member so I could check out electronic books.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026

He sat in edgy silence while I finished my dinner, swiveling his head to check out all the windows, expecting to see a fat, angry face pressed against the glass.

From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson

Related Words

• inspect
• investigate