mate2

 
Pronunciation: /meɪt/

noun & verb

Chess

Phrases

fool's mate

a game in which White is mated by Black’s queen on the second move.

scholar's mate

a game in which White mates Black on the fourth move with the queen, supported by the king’s bishop.

Origin:

Middle English: the noun from Anglo-Norman French mat (from the phrase eschec mat 'checkmate'); the verb from Anglo-Norman French mater 'to checkmate'