cheque

Etymology

A variant of check influenced in spelling by exchequer.

noun

1. (Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, UK, Ireland) A draft directing a bank to pay money to a named person or entity.
   I was not carrying cash, so I wrote a cheque for the amount.
   They do not, however, all deal with the same banker, and when A gives a cheque to B, B usually pays it not into the same but into some other bank. 1848, John Stuart Mill, Principles of Political Economy, published 1920, page 62
   1999, Sam Seunarine, Office Procedures for the Caribbean, 2nd edition, reprinted 2001, page 126, Sometimes abbreviations are used (which would be explained on the statement) and only the last three figures of the cheque number may be given. ‘Sundries’ are cash or cheques paid into the account.
   You can avoid dealing with paper cheques — written or printed — by paying your bills online. 2007, Eric Tyson, Tony Martin, Personal Finance for Canadians for Dummies
   2009, R. Rajesh, T. Sivagnanasithi, Banking Theory Law & Practice, Tata McGraw-Hill, New Delhi, page 206, The daily cheque clearings began around 1770 when bank clerks met at the Five Bells (a tavern in Lombard Street in the City of London) to exchange all their cheques in one place and settle the balances in cash.

adj

1. Obsolete form of chequy.
   George PARK of FULFORDLIES, descended of the Family of Parkswells, carries Or, a Fesse Cheque, Gules and Argent; between Three Bucks Heads cabossed, all within a Border of the 2d; Motto, Providentia me committo. 1722, Alexander Nisbet, A System of Heraldry Speculative and Practical, page 335
   Arms. Argent, a chevron cheque, gules, and of the field, between three bugle horns, sable , garnished of the second, plate 40. 1779, Hugh Clark, Thomas Wormull, The Peerage of the Nobility of England, Scotland, and Ireland, page 137
   Parted per pale gules and or, a lion rampant intercharged inter 3 fleurs de lys. 2. A saltire cheque gules and or inter 3 escallop shells gules. 2 Argent, within a bordure azure, semé de fleur de lis or, parted per chevron ermine[…] 1797, Thomas Langley, The History and Antiquities of the Hundred of Desborough, and Deanery of Wycombe, in Buckinghamshire: Including the Borough Towns of Wycombe and Marlow, and Sixteen Parishes, page 442
   ... : several escutcheons of arms are dispersed about her, and her kirtle, or inward drapery thus blazoned; Or. a fret gules, and others on her mantle, Or. cheque, gules, and azure, a talbot is couchant at her feet. 1820, John Chambers, A General History of Worcester, page 148