Chess (?), n. [OE. ches, F. Úchecs, prop. pl. of Úchec check. See 1st Check.] A game played on a chessboard, by two persons, with two differently colored sets of men, sixteen in each set. Each player has a king, a queen, two bishops, two knights, two castles or rooks, and eight pawns.
Chess, n. (Bot.) A species of brome grass (Bromus secalinus) which is a troublesome weed in wheat fields, and is often erroneously regarded as degenerate or changed wheat; it bears a very slight resemblance to oats, and if reaped and ground up with wheat, so as to be used for food, is said to produce narcotic effects; -- called also cheat and Willard's bromus. [U. S.]
&fist; Other species of brome grass are called upright chess, soft chess, etc.
Chess"-ap`ple (?), n. The wild service of Europe (Purus torminalis).
Chess"board` (?), n. The board used in the game of chess, having eight rows of alternate light and dark squares, eight in each row. See Checkerboard.
&fist; The chessboard and the checkerboard are alike.
Ches"sel (?), n. The wooden mold in which cheese is pressed. Simmonds.
Chess"es (?), n. pl. [Cf. F. chassis a framework of carpenty.] (Mil.) The platforms, consisting of two or more planks doweled together, for the flooring of a temporary military bridge. Wilhelm.
&fist;A singular, chess, is sometimes used. "Each chess consists of three planks." Farrow.
Ches"sil (?), n. [OE. chesil, AS. ceosel gravel, sand.] Gravel or pebbles. Halliwell.
Chess"man (?), n.; pl. Chessmen (#). A piece used in the game of chess.
Ches"som (#), n. [Cf. Chisley.] Mellow earth; mold. [Obs.] Bacon.
Chess"tree` (?), n. [Cf. F. chassis a framework of carpentry.] (Naut.) A piece of oak bolted perpendicularly on the side of a vessel, to aid in drawing down and securing the clew of the mainsail.
Ches`sy" cop"per (?). (Min.) The mineral azurite, found in fine crystallization at Chessy, near Lyons; called also chessylite.
Chest (ch&ebreve;st), n. [OE. chest, chist, AS. cest, cist, cyst, L. cista, fr. Gr. ki`sth. Cf. Cist, Cistern.] 1. A large box of wood, or other material, having, like a trunk, a lid, but no covering of skin, leather, or cloth.
Heaps of money crowded in the chest.
Dryden.