checking

IPA/tʃek/
KK[tʃˈɛkɪŋ]IPA/tʃek/

checking — verb

1. to look at something or someone to make sure it is right, safe, or ready to use.

1.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to look at something or someone to make sure it is right, safe, or ready to use.

Example

Before the bread goes in, Joaquín is checking the oven temperature.

be checking + equipment before use

The nurse is checking Obi's name on the medicine bag before handing out pills.

check + name on + object

Common collocations
  • check the details
  • check again
  • check against a list
  • check whether it works
Synonyms
  • inspect

    often sounds more formal and can suggest a slower, more thorough look

  • verify

    focuses more strongly on proving that information is correct

  • look over

    more informal and often lighter than careful checking

Antonyms
  • ignore

    means not looking at the details at all

  • overlook

    suggests failing to notice something that should have been checked

Grammar Patterns

be checking + noun

check + noun + against + noun

check + whether/if-clause

Usage Note

Often used when someone compares details with a list, a record, or a visible sign. Distinguish from noun sense 1, where checking is treated as an activity or process rather than as the action in the sentence.

Common Mistakes

Please check about the train times before we leave.
Please check the train times before we leave.
in this sense, the information being examined is usually the direct object.

2. to hand luggage to airline staff so it travels in the plane instead of staying w

2.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to hand luggage to airline staff so it travels in the plane instead of staying with you in the cabin.

Example

Élise is checking two heavy suitcases for the flight to Seoul.

check + luggage + for + flight

At the kiosk, the Chen family are checking their bags before security.

checking bags before security

Common collocations
  • check a bag
  • check luggage
  • check at the counter
  • check through to
Synonyms
  • drop off

    more informal and not limited to airline travel

  • register

    more formal and emphasizes recording the bag with the airline

Antonyms
  • carry on

    means keeping the bag with you inside the cabin

Grammar Patterns

check + bag/suitcase + for + flight

check + noun + at + airline counter

Usage Note

Used in airport and airline contexts. The object is usually a suitcase, bag, stroller, or another large item that will go into the hold, not stay with the passenger on the plane.

Common Mistakes

I checked my suitcase and carried it to my seat.
I checked my suitcase and carried only my backpack to my seat.
checked luggage travels in the hold, not beside you in the cabin.

3. to hand an item to staff so it is kept safely until you come back for it.

3.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to hand an item to staff so it is kept safely until you come back for it.

Example

Quinn is checking his coat at the theater before the show starts.

check + coat + at + place

Because the floor is wet, visitors are checking umbrellas at the museum entrance.

checking items with staff on entry

Common collocations
  • check a coat
  • check a bag
  • check with the desk
  • check for safekeeping
Synonyms
  • deposit

    more formal and often used for leaving an item in official care

  • store

    broader; may describe keeping something yourself, not handing it to staff

  • leave

    much more general and does not itself suggest safekeeping

Antonyms
  • carry

    means keeping the item with you instead of leaving it

Grammar Patterns

check + coat/bag + at + desk

check + noun + with + attendant

Usage Note

Common with coats, bags, umbrellas, and suitcases in places such as theaters, hotels, museums, and stations. Distinguish from sense 4, where the bag is sent on a plane rather than kept nearby for later collection.

Common Mistakes

I checked my coat with the plane staff.
I checked my coat at the theater desk.
this sense is about temporary safekeeping on the ground, not airline luggage handling.

4. to add a tick next to something to show it has been done, chosen, or looked at.

4.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to add a tick next to something to show it has been done, chosen, or looked at.

Example

The teacher is checking the names of students who returned the form.

check + names on a list

Adina is checking the last box after cleaning the kitchen shelves.

checking the last box

Common collocations
  • check a box
  • check off a name
  • check each item
  • check the list
Synonyms
  • tick

    especially British; nearly the same action

  • mark

    broader and less specific because it does not require a tick symbol

  • select

    works when choosing an option, but not when marking completion

Antonyms
  • erase

    removes the tick instead of adding it

  • leave blank

    means not marking the item at all

Grammar Patterns

check + box/name/item

check + noun + off + list

Usage Note

Usually used with boxes, names, answers, and list items. In this sense, the tick mark itself is the action, so it is different from sense 1, where checking means examining details for correctness or safety.

Common Mistakes

Please put a check mark and then check the best answer.
Please check the best answer.
in this sense, 'check' already includes the idea of putting the ✓ mark.

checking — noun

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

These words all involve looking at something carefully, but they do not focus on exactly the same goal. Checking is the everyday choice when you want to make sure something is right, safe, or complete, whether it is a train time, a lock, or a form. Inspecting sounds more formal and often suggests a slower, more official look, such as inspecting a building or a machine. Verifying is narrower because it stresses proving that information is true or exact, especially with facts, figures, or identity. Reviewing is broader and often means going through something again to understand it or judge it, not only to catch mistakes. A nurse may check a name, an engineer may inspect a bridge, an accountant may verify a total, and a manager may review a report.

checking ↗inspecting ↗verifying ↗reviewing ↗

Etymology

PersianOld FrenchEnglish

Checking is built from the verb check and the -ing ending. Check came into English through Old French from the language of chess, where it referred to a warning that the king was under attack. From that idea of stopping or challenging something, English later developed wider meanings about controlling, examining, and marking. The form checking can describe the action while it is happening, or it can name the activity itself as a noun.

First known use

14th century

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 7 Noun