stale·mate (stāl'māt')
n.

1. A situation in which further action is blocked; a deadlock.
2. A drawing position in chess in which the king, although not in check, can move only into check and no other piece can move.

tr.v., -mat·ed, -mat·ing, -mates.
To bring into a stalemate.

[Obsolete stale (from Middle English , probably from Anglo-Norman estale, fixed position , from Old French estal; see stale¹) + MATE².]

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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