Webster's English Dictionary

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checkmate

1. check.mate \'chek-.ma-t\ vt [ME chekmaten, fr. chekmate, interj. used to 
   announce checkmate, fr]. MF eschec mat, fr. Ar sha-h ma-t, fr. Per, lit., 
   the king is left unable to escape 1: to arrest, thwart, or counter 
   completely  2: to check (a chess opponent's king) so that escape is 
   impossible 
2. checkmate n 1a: the act of checkmating  1b: the situation of a 
   checkmated king  2: a complete check