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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

chesslike en · ADJ

Pronunciation

  • /ˈt͡ʃɛs.laɪ̯k/ (US)

Etymology

From chess + -like.

Meanings

  1. Characteristic of or resembling chess.
  2. (figuratively) Requiring careful forethought and planning; complex.
    • Still, most Newporters were mesmerized by the boats and their chesslike maneuvers. Smooth sailing was rarely a part of any America's Cup race. The boats spent most of their time locked in a complex dance that involved constant blocking […] 2009, Deborah Davis, Gilded: How Newport Became America's Richest Resort, page 202:
    • Since games are locked in from two to four years in advance, there's a definite chess-match aspect to the scheduling. Pollsters study these chesslike moves, to give weight to a school's football program. 2007, Don Wallace, One Great Game:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
chess-like alternative lexicographic
more chesslike Degree=Cmp lexicographic
most chesslike Degree=Sup lexicographic