exchequer

[eks-chek-er, iks-chek-er]

noun

1. a treasury, as of a state or nation.

2. (in Great Britain)

   1. (often initial capital letter),  the governmental department in charge of the public revenues.

   2. (formerly) an office administering the royal revenues and determining all cases affecting them.

   3. Also called Court of Exchequer. (initial capital letter),  an ancient common-law court of civil jurisdiction in which cases affecting the revenues of the crown were tried, now merged in the King's Bench Division of the High Court.

3. Informal.,  one's financial resources; funds.

   I'd love to go, but the exchequer is a bit low.

exchequer

¹

/ ɪksˈtʃɛkə /

noun

1. (often capital) government (in Britain and certain other countries) the accounting department of the Treasury, responsible for receiving and issuing funds

2. informal,  personal funds; finances

Exchequer

²

/ ɪksˈtʃɛkə /

noun

1. See Court of Exchequer

Word History and Origins

Origin of exchequer¹

1250–1300; Middle English escheker, eschequier < Anglo-French escheker, eschekier ( Old French eschequier ) chessboard, counting table. See checker ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of exchequer¹

C13 (in the sense: chessboard, counting table): from Old French eschequier , from eschec _check

Example Sentences

But independent experts and rating agencies like Moody's expect the figure to be higher, with the strain on the exchequer "even more pronounced" in the coming years.

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In her Budget statement, the chancellor of the exchequer will outline the government's plans for raising or lowering taxes.

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Chancellor of the exchequer Rachel Reeves' budget on 26 November is expected to bring tax rises.

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This is about as big a reshuffle as you could imagine, short of replacing the chancellor of the exchequer.

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The government will then outline likely measures to the forecasters who will assess how much they are forecast to raise or to cost the exchequer.

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Related Words

• gift 
• money 
• prize 
• reward 
• wealth