check
The word carries a strong sense of verification and control. It is the act of creating a safety net by confirming that reality matches an expectation. Whether it is a quick glance at a watch or a rigorous audit of financial records, the feeling is one of reducing uncertainty.
In a social or professional context, it often implies a power dynamic of oversight. When someone checks another person's work, there is an implicit hierarchy of correction. In a more aggressive sense, checking someone means putting them in their place or limiting their influence to prevent them from becoming too dominant.
Countable when referring to a physical document or a mark (a bank check, a check mark). Uncountable when referring to the general process of verification (a thorough check of the equipment).
Meanings
To examine something to determine its accuracy, quality, or condition.
To verify information or a fact.
Examples
Collocations & Compounds
background check
Noun collocation: a process of verifying a person's history, typically for employment
spot check
Noun collocation: a random or unplanned inspection to ensure standards are being met
reality check
Noun collocation: an occasion that forces someone to face the actual facts of a situation
blank check
Noun collocation: complete freedom to spend money or act as one wishes
The board gave the CEO a blank check to restructure the entire department.
Phrasal Verbs
check in
to register one's arrival at a hotel or airport
check out
to leave a hotel after paying the bill or to examine something interesting
check up on
to investigate someone's progress or behavior to ensure everything is correct
check off
to mark an item on a list as completed
Etymology
Derived from the Old French 'eschec', which came from the Persian 'shāh' (meaning king). Originally, it referred to the move in chess that threatens the king. This led to the meaning of 'stopping' or 'restraining' an opponent's progress, which eventually evolved into the modern sense of verifying accuracy or controlling growth. The financial meaning (a bank check) evolved from the 'check' or 'verification' of a written order to pay.