chess
1[ ches ]
/ tʃɛs /
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noun
a game played on a chessboard by two people who maneuver sixteen pieces each according to rules governing movement of the six kinds of pieces (pawn, rook, knight, bishop, queen, king), the object being to bring the opponent's king into checkmate.
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Origin of chess
1First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English che(e)s, chesse, echesse, esches, from Old French esches, plural of eschec check1
Words nearby chess
Definition for chess (2 of 3)
chess2
[ ches ]
/ tʃɛs /
noun, plural chess·es.
any of several weedy species of bromegrass, especially Bromus secalinus.
Origin of chess
2First recorded in 1735–40; origin unknown
Definition for chess (3 of 3)
chess3
[ ches ]
/ tʃɛs /
noun, plural chess, chess·es.
one of the planks forming the roadway of a floating bridge.
Origin of chess
3First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English ches “tier, layer,” possibly alteration of Middle French chasse “frame”
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
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British Dictionary definitions for chess (1 of 3)
chess1
/ (tʃɛs) /
noun
a game of skill for two players using a chessboard on which chessmen are moved. Initially each player has one king, one queen, two rooks, two bishops, two knights, and eight pawns, which have different types of moves according to kind. The object is to checkmate the opponent's king
Word Origin for chess
C13: from Old French esches, plural of eschec check (at chess); see check
British Dictionary definitions for chess (2 of 3)
Word Origin for chess
C18: of unknown origin
British Dictionary definitions for chess (3 of 3)
chess3
/ (tʃɛs) /
noun plural chess or chesses
a floorboard of the deck of a pontoon bridge
Word Origin for chess
C15 (in the sense: layer, tier): from Old French chasse frame, from Latin capsa box
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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