Words of the Day 14/6/10 - Chess Forums

kco

Jun 13, 2010

0

#1

This week I will be looking at words that is associated with chess.
We already had one earlier, see here 'checkmate'

Stalemate:

–noun

1. Chess . a position of the pieces in which a player cannot move any piece except the king and cannot move the king without putting it in check.

2. any position or situation in which no action can be taken or progress made; deadlock: Talks between union and management resulted in a stalemate.

–verb (used with object)

3. to subject to a stalemate.

4. to bring to a standstill.

–verb (used without object)

5. to be or result in a stalemate or standoff: Negotiations stalemated when new salary demands were introduced.

Origin,

1765, in chess, from stale "stalemate" (early 15c.) + mate "checkmate" (see checkmate). M.E. stale is probably from Anglo-Fr. estale "standstill" . A misnomer, since a stale is not a mate. "In England from the 17th c. to the beginning of the 19th c. the player who received stalemate won the game" [OED]. Figurative sense is recorded from 1885. Hold your horse, "A drawing position in chess in which the king, although not in check, can move only into check and no other piece can move."

Answer to Which Words 008

Mercurial (a)sprightly
Nilgai (c) a large antelope
Orris (a)a species of iris

Which Words 009
Pathos (a)an abnormal state (b)condescending favour (c)the power of evoking pity
Quarrion (a)a small crested cockatiel (b)game hunted with hounds (c)a question mark
Repudiate (a)to have need of (b)to reject as having no authority (c)to find fault with

Answers will appear in the next words of the day.

< previous word-saccharine next words- zugzwang >

nwav

Jun 13, 2010

0

#2

c, a, b? (I doubt it but you never know...)

How do you find these things anyway?

kco

Jun 13, 2010

0

#3

I find my sources

Ekanshnair

Mar 9, 2025

0

#4

Tbh what even is this