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What is the difference between threaten and checkmate?

threaten | checkmate |

As verbs the difference between threaten and checkmate

is that threaten is to make a threat against someone; to use threats while checkmate is (chess) to put the king of an opponent into checkmate.

As a interjection checkmate is

(chess) word called out by the victor when making the conclusive move.

As a noun checkmate is

the conclusive victory in a game of chess that occurs when an opponent's king is threatened with unavoidable capture.

threaten

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • To make a threat against someone; to use threats.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1905, author=
  • , title= , chapter=2 citation , passage=No one, however, would have anything to do with him, as Mr. Keeson's orders in those respects were very strict ; he had often threatened any one of his employés with instant dismissal if he found him in company with one of these touts.}}
    He threatened me with a knife.
  • To menace, or be dangerous.
  • The rocks threatened the ship's survival.
  • To portend, or give a warning of.
  • The black clouds threatened heavy rain.

    Usage notes

    * This is a catenative verb that takes the to infinitive . See

    checkmate

    English

    Interjection

    (en interjection)
  • (chess) Word called out by the victor when making the conclusive move.
  • Synonyms

    * (chess)

    Noun

    (wikipedia checkmate) (en noun)
  • The conclusive victory in a game of chess that occurs when an opponent's king is threatened with unavoidable capture.
  • (figuratively, by extension) Any losing situation with no escape; utter defeat.
  • Verb

    (checkmat)
  • (chess) To put the king of an opponent into checkmate.
  • That jerk checkmated me in four moves!
  • (by extension) To place in a losing situation that has no escape.
  • References

    * Daily Times article on the etymology of the word