Word Study
chess
CIDE DICTIONARY
chess, n. [OE. ches, F. échecs, prop. pl. of échec check. See 1st Check.].
A game played on a chessboard, by two persons, with two differently colored sets of men, sixteen in each set. Each player has a king, a queen, two bishops, two knights, two castles or rooks, and eight pawns. [1913 Webster]
chess, n.
A species of brome grass (Bromus secalinus ) which is a troublesome weed in wheat fields, and is often erroneously regarded as degenerate or changed wheat; it bears a very slight resemblance to oats, and if reaped and ground up with wheat, so as to be used for food, is said to produce narcotic effects; -- called also cheat and Willard's bromus . [1913 Webster]
" Other species of brome grass are called upright chess , soft chess , etc." [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
chess, n. a game for two with 16 men each, played on a chessboard.
Etymology
ME f. OF esches pl. of eschec CHECK(1)
THESAURUS
chess
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