Read along with the three podcasts, or open the full dictionary entry for Cheque for the definition, Arabic meaning, synonyms and example sentences.
Narrator: Today's word is Cheque — noun, pronounced /tʃɛk/, with the stress on the single syllable.
Narrator: A cheque is a printed form that directs a bank to pay a specific amount of money from an account to the person or company named on it.
Narrator: In plain English, it is a paper slip you write out to pay for something instead of using physical cash or a digital card transaction.
Narrator: The word traces back to the old French word eschec, which originally referred to a move in a game of chess, reflecting the idea of keeping a check on financial movements.
Narrator: A common collocation is writing a cheque, which describes the process of filling in the date, payee, and amount before signing it.
Narrator: It differs from a bank draft, which is a guaranteed payment instrument issued by the bank itself rather than an individual.
Narrator: In a figurative sense, you might hear the phrase keep in check, referring to controlling or restraining the growth of something.
Narrator: The fields of accounting, law, and traditional retail banking rely heavily on the use and processing of these documents.
Narrator: So remember: use the spelling C H E Q U E for the financial document, distinct from the verb check.
Speaker A: Why do we still use paper slips like these when everything is so digital now?
Speaker B: They provide a physical trail, and the word CHEQUE, deriving from the Old French eschec, remains a standard for secure, large-sum transfers.
Speaker A: Is it true they are becoming quite rare in modern shops?
Speaker B: Indeed, they are mostly reserved for formal transactions now.
Speaker A: Example sentences?
Speaker B: I wrote a cheque for the deposit, she received a cheque for her birthday, and the company issued a salary cheque today; covering payment, gift, and wages.
Speaker A: Common mistakes?
Speaker B: Avoid using the American spelling check for the bank document, as that refers to the verb for inspecting items.
Speaker A: Close relatives?
Speaker B: Draft is a twin, money order is a cousin, and voucher is an alternative; each keeps its unique financial charm!
Speaker B: Let's use cheque in AI prompts — useful for simulating financial compliance workflows and generating transactional training data.
Speaker A: How do we start a prompt for an automated banking system?
Speaker B: Draft a formal instruction for an auditing bot.
Prompt: Verify the date, signature, and numerical amount on this scanned cheque image to ensure it meets standard banking compliance requirements.
Speaker A: How can we use it for accounting software logic?
Speaker B: Use this to explain ledger reconciliation.
Prompt: Create a Python script that reconciles a list of cheque numbers against a database of cleared payments to identify outstanding items.
Speaker A: Can we simulate a business customer service scenario?
Speaker B: Ask the AI to explain a delay in processing.
Prompt: Write a professional email template to a client explaining that their submitted cheque is being held due to an unmatched account number.
Speaker A: One more?
Speaker B: Here is a prompt for technical documentation.
Prompt: Draft a user manual section explaining the security features found on a standard business cheque, such as watermarks and microprinting.
Cheque — meaning in Arabic & definition More C courses GL Dictionary