Check"mate, n. [F. échec et mat, fr. Per. shāh māt ceckmate, lit., the king is dead, fr. Ar. māta he died, is dead. The king, when made prisoner, or checkmated, is assumed to be dead, and the game is finished. See Chess.] 1. The position in the game of chess when a king is in check and cannot be released, -- which ends the game.

2. A complete check; utter defeat or overthrow.

Check"mate (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Checkmated; p. pr. & vb. n. Checkmating.] 1. (Chess) To check (an adversary's king) in such a manner that escape in impossible; to defeat (an adversary) by putting his king in check from which there is no escape.

2. To defeat completely; to terminate; to thwart.

To checkmate and control my just demands.
Ford.

• The conclusive victory in a game of chess that occurs when an opponent's king has no possible move that can remove him from check (threat of attack).
  
• Word called out by the victor of chess when an opponent is placed in checkmate.
  
• Any situation that has no obvious escape and involves some personal loss.
  
• To put (an opponent's king) into checkmate.
  
• To lead (someone) to a situation that has no obvious escape with involvement of giving some personal loss.