check

check is one of the 1000 most common headwords.

cheap - check - child

Pronunciation

enPR: chĕk, IPA ^(key): /t͡ʃɛk/
Audio (US) (file)
Homophones: cheque, Czech

Verb

Plain form
check

Third-person singular
checks

Past tense
checked

Past participle
checked

Present participle
checking

(transitive & intransitive) If you check something, you look at it to see if there is a problem, or something new or different.
Hi, I heard some noises, so I'm just checking to see if you were O.K.

Can you check that the lights are off?

Please check your test before handing it to the teacher.

I just checked my e-mail and found 50 new messages.

He checked the mirror to see if the police car was still behind him.
(transitive & intransitive) If you check something out, you look at it because it might be interesting.
I found this great video online. Check it out.

When you're in Toronto, you should check out the CN tower.
(transitive) If you check an answer, or choice, you make a check mark (✓) beside it.
If you want to get mail from us, check the box at the bottom of the page.
(intransitive) If you check out of a hotel, you pay your bill and leave.
I called the hotel, but they said you had already checked out.
(intransitive) If you check in to a hotel, you go to the front desk to tell them you've arrived and you get your key.
After we checked in, we went to our room and unpacked our bags.
(transitive) If you check something, usually something bad, you stop it.
He put out his hands but could not check his fall.

Senegal, which acted early, was able to check the spread of the disease.
(transitive) If you check your coat or bags, you give them to a worker to take care of.
Reid was traveling alone without any checked luggage.

You can check your luggage inside and show them your passport with your ticket.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related words

Noun

Singular
check

Plural
checks

A green and white check pattern

(countable) A check is a piece of paper that gives someone else the right to receive some money from your bank account. (Other spelling: cheque)
She wrote him a personal check for $250.

Could you please pay in cash instead of checks?

I found out about the problem when I tried to cash her bad checks.
(countable) A check is something you do to make sure that there is no problem.
The town must conduct regular checks on drinking water quality.

They did background checks on all the teachers before hiring them.

We stood in line at the airport for the extra security checks.

I want to get a quick check of the weather before going.
(countable) A reality check is an opportunity to think about reality and make sure your hopes and thoughts are reasonable.
I think this injury is a real reality check for him. He can't keep working like this.
If you keep something in check, you stop it from getting bigger or worse.
There aren't enough birds to keep the insects in check.

I had difficulty keeping my anger in check.
(countable) A check is something that controls or stops something else.
The company didn't have the right checks and balances, and that's why they lost all the money.
In a restaurant, the check is the bill.
Waiter, can you bring us the check please?
(countable) A check is this mark: ✓
Put a check next to today's date and sign here.

He finished it up and put a check mark in the box.
(countable & uncountable) Check is a pattern of squares, especially on cloth.
Michael was a big man in a red wool check shirt.
(countable) A coat check is a place where you can give your coat, bags, etc. to a worker to take care of.
The lines were long at the coat check, so we put our jackets on the backs of our chairs.
(uncountable) In chess, check the position of the king where it can be directly attacked by the opponent's pieces but from which it may escape.
You can't move that piece because your king is in check.