chess

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chess¹

(chĕs)

A board game for two players, each beginning with 16 pieces of six kinds that are moved according to individual rules, with the objective of checkmating the opposing king.

[Middle English ches, short for Old French esches, pl. of eschec, check in chess; see check.]

chess²

(chĕs)

Any of several species of brome, especially Bromus secalinus.

[Origin unknown.]

chess³

(chĕs)

n. pl. chess or chess·es

One of the floorboards of a pontoon bridge.

[Middle English ches, tier, perhaps from Old French chasse, frame, from Latin capsa, box.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

chess

(tʃɛs)

(Chess & Draughts) 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

[C13: from Old French esches, plural of eschec check (at chess); see check]

chess

(tʃɛs)

(Plants) US a less common name for rye-brome

[C18: of unknown origin]

chess

(tʃɛs)

n, pl chess or chesses

(Civil Engineering) a floorboard of the deck of a pontoon bridge

[C15 (in the sense: layer, tier): from Old French chasse frame, from Latin capsa box]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

chess

(tʃɛs)

n.

a game played on a chessboard by two people who maneuver 16 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.

[1150–1200; Middle English < Old French esches, pl. of eschec check]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun	1.	chess - weedy annual native to Europe but widely distributed as a weed especially in wheat Bromus secalinus, cheat brome, bromegrass - any of various woodland and meadow grasses of the genus Bromus; native to temperate regions
	2.	chess - a board game for two players who move their 16 pieces according to specific rules; the object is to checkmate the opponent's king chess game chess move - the act of moving a chess piece en passant - (chess) a chess pawn that is moved two squares can be captured by an opponent's pawn commanding the square that was passed exchange - (chess) the capture by both players (usually on consecutive moves) of pieces of equal value; "the endgame began after the exchange of queens" exchange - (chess) gaining (or losing) a rook in return for a knight or bishop; "black lost the exchange" check - (chess) a direct attack on an opponent's king chess opening, opening - a recognized sequence of moves at the beginning of a game of chess; "he memorized all the important chess openings" counterplay, counterattack - (chess) an attack that is intended to counter the opponent's advantage in another part of the board board game - a game played on a specially designed board shogi - a form of chess played on a board of 81 squares; each player has 20 pieces bishop - (chess) a piece that can be moved diagonally over unoccupied squares of the same color black - (board games) the darker pieces rook, castle - (chess) the piece that can move any number of unoccupied squares in a direction parallel to the sides of the chessboard checker board, checkerboard - a board having 64 squares of two alternating colors king - (chess) the weakest but the most important piece knight, horse - a chessman shaped to resemble the head of a horse; can move two squares horizontally and one vertically (or vice versa) pawn - (chess) the least powerful piece; moves only forward and captures only to the side; it can be promoted to a more powerful piece if it reaches the 8th rank white - (board games) the lighter pieces development - a state in which things are improving; the result of developing (as in the early part of a game of chess); "after he saw the latest development he changed his mind and became a supporter"; "in chess your should take care of your development before moving your queen" develop - move into a strategically more advantageous position; "develop the rook" develop - move one's pieces into strategically more advantageous positions; "Spassky developed quickly" stalemate - subject to a stalemate castle - move the king two squares toward a rook and in the same move the rook to the square next past the king open - make the opening move; "Kasparov opened with a standard opening" promote - change a pawn for a better piece by advancing it to the eighth row, or change a checker piece for a more valuable piece by moving it to the row closest to your opponent checkmate, mate - place an opponent's king under an attack from which it cannot escape and thus ending the game; "Kasparov checkmated his opponent after only a few moves" check - place into check; "He checked my kings" fork - place under attack with one's own pieces, of two enemy pieces pin - immobilize a piece

chess

Chess

Chess piece

Abbreviation
Bishop	B
King	K
King's bishop	KB
King's knight	KN
King's rook	KR
Knight	N
Pawn	P
Queen	Q
Queen's bishop	QB
Queen's knight	QN
Queen's rook, QR

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Translations

Spanish / Español

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ajedrez

chess

[tʃes]

A. N → ajedrez m

B. CPD chess player N → jugador(a) m/f de ajedrez, ajedrecista mf
chess set N → (juego m de) ajedrez m
chess tournament N → torneo m de ajedrez

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

chess

(tʃes) noun

a game for two played with thirty-two (usually black and white) pieces (ˈchessmen) on a board (ˈchessboard) with sixty-four (usually black and white) squares.

chess

→ ajedrez

Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009

References in classic literature ?

SHEA had just beaten me at chess, as usual, and, also as usual, I had gleaned what questionable satisfaction I might by twitting him with this indication of failing mentality by calling his attention to the nth time to that theory, propounded by certain scientists, which is based upon the assertion that phenomenal chess players are always found to be from the ranks of children under twelve, adults over seventy-two or the mentally defective--a theory that is lightly ignored upon those rare occasions that I win.

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Elliot put in, for he could never resist the temptation of talking while he played chess.

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I knew little of chess, but as only a few pieces were on the board it was obvious that the game was near its close.

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Between my janitor-work, my studies, and innocent amusements such as chess, I hadn't a moment to spare.

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Especially it is a sport to see, when a bold fellow is out of countenance; for that puts his face into a most shrunken, and wooden posture; as needs it must; for in bashfulness, the spirits do a little go and come; but with bold men, upon like occasion, they stand at a stay; like a stale at chess, where it is no mate, but yet the game cannot stir.

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But he could not get to sleep: he never felt more wakeful in his life; so he lit the lamp and got out the chess-board, and played himself a game of chess. But even that did not enliven him: it seemed slow somehow; so he gave chess up and tried to read.

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I played chess with Fyne in the late afternoon, and sometimes came over to the cottage early enough to have tea with the whole family at a big round table.

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Hargrave entered the drawing-room a little before the others, and challenged me to a game of chess. He did it without any of that sad but proud humility he usually assumes in addressing me, unless he is excited with wine.

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She felt like a chess player who, by the clever handling of his pieces, sees the game taking the course intended.

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But man is a frivolous and incongruous creature, and perhaps, like a chess player, loves the process of the game, not the end of it.

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He was talking to the countess, and Natasha sat down beside a little chess table with Sonya, thereby inviting Prince Andrew to come too.

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"Naisi and Deirdre were seated together one day, and between them Conor's chess board, they playing upon it.

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