checkers

IPA/ˈtʃekəz/
KK[tʃˈɛkɚz]IPA/ˈtʃekərz/

checkers — noun

1. an indoor game in which two players move their twelve round disc-shaped pieces d

1.nounB1
Definition

an indoor game in which two players move their twelve round disc-shaped pieces diagonally across a board of dark and light squares, capturing the opponent's pieces by leaping over them.

Example

Esme and her grandfather play checkers every Sunday afternoon at the kitchen table.

play checkers — typical verb collocation

The boys set up the checkers board on the porch and argued about who would go first.

checkers board — common compound noun

Common collocations
  • play checkers
  • a game of checkers
  • checkers board
  • rules of checkers
Synonyms
  • draughts

    British English term for the same game

Grammar Patterns

play checkers

a game of checkers

Usage Note

Treated as singular even though it ends in -s: 'Checkers is a simple game,' not 'Checkers are a simple game.' In British English, the same game is called draughts.

Common Mistakes

Checkers are easy to learn.
Checkers is easy to learn.
the game name takes a singular verb even though it ends in -s.
Let's play a checkers.
Let's play checkers.' or 'Let's play a game of checkers.
no article before the bare game name.

Word family

Common collocations

Nouns

  • checkers board
  • checkers piece
  • checkers tournament

Phrases

  • play checkers
  • a game of checkers
  • win at checkers

Prepositions

  • a game of checkers
  • checkers with someone

Etymology

Old FrenchMiddle EnglishAmerican English

Comes from the older noun 'checker', meaning a pattern of squares like those on a chessboard, which entered English from Old French 'eschequier' (chessboard). The name of the game refers to the patterned board it is played on. American English kept 'checkers' while British English adopted 'draughts' from the verb meaning 'to draw or pull (a piece across the board)'.