jaque

check (chess)

noun HAH-keh Rare

Origin: From Persian 'shah' (king), via Arabic, the chess term for putting the king in danger.

Also means

threat

Usage Note

Jaque is most familiar from chess: jaque mate (checkmate) and dar jaque (to put in check). Outside chess, tener en jaque or mantener en jaque is a common idiom meaning to keep someone at bay or under threat: los terroristas mantenían en jaque a la policía. The word entered Spanish through Arabic, making it one of the many chess-related terms with Arabic-Persian roots.

Examples

"El jugador dio jaque al rey con su alfil."

Natural Translation

The player put the king in check with the bishop.

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