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stalemate

 - 3 dictionary results

stale⋅mate

  [steyl-meyt] noun, verb, -mat⋅ed, -mat⋅ing.
Use stalemate in a Sentence
–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 stale 1 ) + mate 2

Synonyms:
2. impasse, standoff, standstill.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To stalemate
stale·mate   (stāl'māt')   
n.  

  1. A situation in which further action is blocked; a deadlock.

  2. 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.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

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.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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