stalemate - Definitions from Dictionary.com

8 results for: stalemate

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

stale·mate

Audio Help [steyl-meyt] Pronunciation Key noun, verb, -mat·ed, -mat·ing.

–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: 1755–65; late ME stale stalemate (whence AF estale) (appar. special use of stale¹) + mate²

]

—Synonyms 2. impasse, standoff, standstill.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
stalemate

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

stale·mate Audio Help (stāl'māt') Pronunciation Key
n.

A situation in which further action is blocked; a deadlock.
A drawing position in chess in which the king, although not in check, can move only into check and no other piece can move.

tr.v. stale·mat·ed, stale·mat·ing, stale·mates
To bring into a stalemate.

[Obsolete stale (from Middle English, probably from Anglo-Norman estale, fixed position, from Old French estal; see stale¹) + mate².]

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
stalemate

1765, in chess, from stale "stalemate" (1425) + mate "checkmate" (see checkmate). M.E. stale is probably from Anglo-Fr. estale "standstill" (see stall (2)). 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]. Fig sense is recorded from 1885.

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

stalemate
noun
1.	a situation in which no progress can be made or no advancement is possible; "reached an impasse on the negotiations" [syn: deadlock]
2.	drawing position in chess: any of a player's possible moves would place his king in check
verb
1.	subject to a stalemate

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
stalemate1 [ˈsteilmeit] noun

a position in chess in which a player cannot move without putting his king in danger

Arabic:	إسْتِحالَة التَّحَرُّك في الشَّطْرَنْج
Chinese (Simplified):	（国际象棋）陷八僵局
Chinese (Traditional):	(國際象棋)陷八僵局
Czech:	pat
Danish:	pat
Dutch:	pat
Estonian:	patt
Finnish:	patti
French:	pat
German:	das Patt
Greek:	ακινητοποίηση του παίκτη χωρίς να απειλείται ο βασιλι�
Hungarian:	patt
Icelandic:	pattstaða
Indonesian:	remis
Italian:	stallo

Japanese:	手詰り
Korean:	(?체스? 말을 움직이면 지게 되는 상태의) 막다른 수
Latvian:	(šahā) pats
Lithuanian:	patas
Norwegian:	patt
Polish:	pat
Portuguese (Brazil):	empate
Portuguese (Portugal):	empate
Romanian:	pat (la şah)
Russian:	пат
Slovak:	pat
Slovenian:	pat
Swedish:	remi
Turkish:	pat, berabere

stalemate2 [ˈsteilmeit] noun

in any contest, dispute etc, a position in which neither side can win
Example: The recent discussions ended in stalemate.

Arabic:	نُقْطَة جُمود، مأزِق
Chinese (Simplified):	僵持
Chinese (Traditional):	僵持
Czech:	mrtvý bod
Danish:	hårdknude
Dutch:	impasse
Estonian:	ummik
Finnish:	umpikuja
French:	impasse
German:	die Sackgasse
Greek:	αδιέξοδο, ισοπαλία
Hungarian:	holtpont
Icelandic:	algjör kyrrstaða, sjálfhelda
Indonesian:	kebuntuan
Italian:	stallo, (punto morto)

Japanese:	行詰り
Korean:	난국, 정돈 상태
Latvian:	strupceļš
Lithuanian:	aklavietė
Norwegian:	fastlåst situasjon
Polish:	martwy punkt
Portuguese (Brazil):	impasse
Portuguese (Portugal):	impasse
Romanian:	impas
Russian:	тупик; мёртвая точка
Slovak:	mŕtvy bod
Slovenian:	pat
Swedish:	dödläge
Turkish:	açmaz, çıkmaz