Also 7 checque, cheque. [Goes with CHECK v.2, either as its verbal sb., or as short for checker, chequer.]
1. Her. and gen. A patter of cross lines forming small squares, as in a chess-board.
c. 1400. Sowdone Bab., 189. He bare a Chek of goulis clere, An Egle of goolde abrode displayed.
1599. Thynne, Animadv. (1875), 15. Cheuerons … Checkes, and suche lyke stande upon geometricall proportiones.
1679. Plot, Staffordsh. (1686), 389. The one half plain, the other wrought in cheque with a topiary sort of Needlework.
1771. Franklin, Autobiog., Wks. 1840, I. 73. I cut several ornaments and checks for the bills.
1821. Blackw. Mag., VIII. 617. And Jenny … Displays a napkin of enormous check.
1876. Rock, Text. Fabr., 3.
2. A fabric woven or printed with such a pattern. Also attrib., as in check kersey; check handkerchief, apron; check pattern, trade, etc.
1614. W. Peyton, Voy., § 2 (1625), in Purchas, Pilgrimes, IV. xv. Indicoes of two sorts, Checques the courser.
1748. Smollett, Rod. Rand., xxxi. A couple of old check shirts.
1756. Mrs. Delany, Autobiog. (1861), III. 457. I should be glad of 30 yards of check.
1820. Lamb, Elia, Christ’s Hosp. A large blue check handkerchief.
1885. Manch. Exam., 5 June, 5/6. Looms for weaving checks and trouserings.
Check sb.3 Another spelling of CHEQUE.
