stalemate
stalemate
Definition
stale·mate (stāl′māt′)
noun
- Chess any situation in which it is impossible for one of the players to move without placing his or her king in check: it results in a draw
- any unresolved situation in which further action is impossible or useless; deadlock; draw
Etymology: obs. stale, stalemate < ME < OFr estal, fixed location, safe place < Gmc, as in OHG stal (see stall) + mate
transitive verb -·mat′ed, -·mat′·ing
to bring into a stalemate
stalemate
Synonyms
stalemate
Usage Examples
Converse of object
- break: On the quarter hour however, Wasps broke the stalemate.
- reach: In the end the second half reached a stalemate with neither side having many chances on goal.
- end: Thus, the Duma's approval of START II would not end the stalemate on strategic arms reductions.
- become: By 1983 the war had become a stalemate with a permanent front along the border.
- have: The whole thing had stalemate written all over it.
- continue: Rigid adherence by the parties to their past positions will simply continue the stalemate which has already lasted too long.
Adjective modifier
- goalless: Nevertheless, solid defending had most of the crowd predicting a goalless stalemate.
- continued: Added to the continued stalemate in the development of Top Field, it was vital to address the situation sooner rather than later.
- political: Young's tour of duty in Kenya ended in political stalemate.
- nuclear: Likewise, the checks and balances that exist in the nuclear stalemate between India and Pakistan do not apply to Saddam.
- current: Iran has the strength needed to create its current stalemate with the West.
- military: Despite its overwhelming force, Moscow is in a military stalemate with the rebels, facing constant guerrilla attacks.
Modifies a noun
- situation: In a stalemate situation we see companies indulging in pricing battles to maintain or grow their share.
Noun used with modifier
- trench: Douglas Haig, the British commander in chief on the Western Front, called for " ceaseless attrition " to break the trench stalemate.
- midfield: Ronaldo and Scholes started some vigorous warm-ups and were soon thrown into what had become a midfield stalemate.
- half: Chances were sparse in a second half stalemate, with Barry unable to shake off the shackles despite forcing a couple of goalmouth scares.
Preposition: in
- negotiation: In the event of stalemate in the negotiations, options for the next course of action are limited and could be divisive.
- conference: The Conference also heard statements by Russia on the " Five Ambassadors " proposal and Ukraine on the stalemate in the Conference.
Preposition: of
- warfare: Yet these devices held the key to new battlefield tactics, which could have broken the stalemate of trench warfare.
Preposition: with
- side: In the end the second half reached a stalemate with neither side having many chances on goal.
Browse dictionary entries near stalemate
- stale
- stalagmite
- stalag
- stalactite
- stalactiform
- Stakhanovism
- stakeout
- stakeholder
- Staked Plain
- stake truck
- Stalin
- Stalinabad
- Stalingrad
- Stalino
- Stalinsk
- stalk
- stalk-eyed
- stalking
- stalking-horse
- stalky
