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A genus (Bromus) of grasses, one species of which is the chess or cheat.

A piece, made to represent a castle, used in the game of chess; a rook. Castle in the air, a visionary project; a baseless scheme; an air castle; -- sometimes called a castle in Spain (F. Château en Espagne).

A troublesome grass, growing as a weed in grain fields; -- called also chess. See Chess.

The position in the game of chess when a king is in check and cannot be released, -- which ends the game.

To get; to procure; to obtain; to acquire [Obs.] To fill his bags, and richesse to compare. Spenser.

ep; -- formerly used as a charm for the cramp. Halliwell. "He could turn cramp bones into chess men." Dickens. -- Cramp ring, a ring formerly supposed to have virtue in averting or curing cramp, as having been consecrated by one of the kings of England on Good Friday.

A move, as at chess or checkers. [Obs.] Chaucer.

In passing; in the course of any procedure; -- said specif. (Chess),

e; to excite; to quicken; as, fresh fuel enlivens a fire. Lo! of themselves th' enlivened chessmen move. Cowley.

A person of high rank. [Obs.] She's a duchess, a great estate. Latimer. Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee. Mark vi. 21.

knowing and ready from much practice; clever; skillful; as, an expert surgeon; expert in chess or archery. A valiant and most expert gentleman. Shak. What practice, howsoe'er expert In fitting aptest words to things . . . Hath power to give thee as thou wert Tennison.

The title of a duke, a duchess, or an archbishop, and formerly of the king of England. How fares your Grace ! Shak.

on, St. John Baptist's, and All Saints' Days); called also Dies non juridici. -- Grand duchess. (a) The wife or widow of a grand duke. (b) A lady having the sovereignty of a duchy in her own right. (c) In Russia, a daughter of the Czar. -- Grand duke. (a) A sovereign duke, inferior in rank to a king; as, the Grand Du…

A square on a chessboard, regarded as the proper place of a piece.

or, whence it is called vegetable ivory. It is wrought into various articles, as buttons, chessmen, etc. The palm is found in New Grenada. A smaller kind is the fruit of the Phytephas microarpa. The nuts are known in commerce as Corosso nuts. -- Ivory palm (Bot.), the palm tree which produces ivory nuts. -- Ivory she…

The chief piece in the game of chess.

A piece used in the game of chess, usually bearing a horse's head.

One of the piece with which certain games, as chess or draughts, are played.

State of being in excess. [R.] There is a nimiety, a too-muchess, in all Germans. Coleridge.

ncement; warning. I . . . have given him notice that the Duke of Cornwall and Regan his duchess will be here. Shak.