Check (verb): to examine something carefully in order to make sure it is correct, safe, or working properly; to stop or slow something.
Check (noun): an examination or test carried out to verify accuracy, safety, or quality; a mark (✔) placed beside a completed item.
What Does Check Mean?
Check is one of the most frequently used words in everyday English. Its core meaning as a verb is to inspect or verify — you check your work before handing it in, check the time before leaving, and check a door is locked before going to bed. In this sense, it is the natural, conversational equivalent of the more formal verify or inspect.
As a noun, a check is the act of looking at something to confirm all is well. Doctors carry out health checks; engineers run safety checks; teachers give students time to do a final check of their writing. The noun is often used in compounds: spot check (a random inspection), security check (at an airport), and health check (a medical examination).
Check also carries a secondary sense of stopping or limiting something: "a check on government power" or "the cold weather checked the spread of the virus." This usage is more formal and often appears in journalism and academic writing.
Note that in British English the word for a cheque (a written bank order) is spelt cheque, while in American English it is spelt check. On this site we use British English throughout.
Etymology
Check entered English in the 14th century from Old French eschec, meaning a move in chess that threatens the opponent's king — itself borrowed from Arabic shāh and ultimately Persian shāh (meaning "king"). By the 15th century, the sense of "stopping or restraining" something had developed from the idea of halting the king's movement on the board. The meaning of "examining or verifying" emerged later, in the 17th century, growing from the notion of testing a position or fact against a standard. The same root gives us checkmate (from Persian shāh māt, "the king is dead") and the exclamation Check! used in chess today.
Example Sentences (A2 → C1)
| Sentence | Level & note |
|---|---|
| Always check your spelling before submitting a piece of writing. | A2 — verb, everyday advice |
| Can you check whether the oven is switched off? | A2 — verb + whether-clause, household context |
| The teacher did a quick check to make sure everyone had understood the task. | B1 — noun, classroom context |
| Passengers are advised to check in at least two hours before their flight departs. | B2 — phrasal verb, travel register |
| A free press serves as an important check on the exercise of government power. | C1 — noun, formal/political sense of "restraint" |
Common Collocations
| Collocation | Meaning / Example |
|---|---|
| check your email | Look to see if you have new messages — I check my email first thing every morning. |
| double-check | Verify a second time to be sure — Double-check the address before you send the parcel. |
| check in | Register arrival at a hotel or airport — We checked in at the hotel just after midday. |
| check out | Leave a hotel formally, or inspect informally — Check out this new vocabulary app! |
| check off | Mark an item on a list as complete — She checked off each task as she finished it. |
| spot check | A random, unannounced inspection — The manager carried out a spot check on the accounts. |
| security check | Inspection at an airport or entrance — All bags must go through the security check. |
| health check | A medical examination — The company offers all staff an annual health check. |
| carry out a check | Perform a check (formal collocation) — Engineers carried out a full safety check before the launch. |
| keep a check on | Monitor regularly — It is important to keep a check on your spending. |
Usage Notes
Key Usage Points
- check + object: The most common pattern. Check your work. Check the time. Check the list.
- check + whether/if: Use to introduce an indirect question. Please check whether the form has been signed.
- check + that: Use to confirm a fact. Check that all windows are closed.
- check on: To visit or contact someone to see they are well. I rang to check on my elderly neighbour.
- check up on: To investigate or monitor, sometimes with a sense of suspicion. The supervisor was checking up on the team's progress.
- British vs American spelling: In British English, a bank document is a cheque. The American spelling check is used for this meaning in American English. For all other meanings, both varieties spell it check.
Common Mistakes
Watch Out For
I will check that you did your homework. (sounds accusatory; implies suspicion)
I will check whether you did your homework. (neutral; simply verifying a fact)
Please make a check of the report. (unnatural collocation)
Please check the report. / Please carry out a check on the report. (natural phrasing)
She wrote a check to pay for the hotel. (American English)
She wrote a cheque to pay for the hotel. (British English spelling)