check-off
UK[ˈtʃek ɒf]US[ˈtʃek ɔːf]
n
A deduction of union dues from a worker's wages by the employer, who then pays the money to the union.
n
The act of marking an item on a list as completed or verified.
Morpheme Breakdown
check
off
check
verify
off
completion
Etymology
The term 'check-off' is a modern compound formed from two English words of distinct origins. 'Check' entered English through the medieval game of chess, its meaning evolving from a call of attack to a broader sense of verification and control. 'Off' is a native English word of Germanic origin, commonly used in phrasal verbs to denote completion or removal. When combined, the literal sense of "marking something as verified and thus completed on a list" gave rise to its specific modern meanings. In labor relations, this concept was applied to the process where an employer verifies and completes the deduction of union dues from a payroll.
Analysis
Structure: check (verify) + off (completion)
- check: From Middle English 'chek', via Old French 'eschec' from Persian 'shāh' (king), in the sense of a call in chess signaling an attack on the king. In this compound, it functions as a verb meaning to verify or inspect.
- off: From Old English 'of', meaning away, from, or indicating separation or completion. In this compound, it functions as an adverbial particle indicating the action is brought to a conclusion.
Examples
The new contract included a provision for an automatic check-off of union dues.
Please place a check-off next to each completed task on the inventory sheet.
The check-off system simplifies the collection of membership fees.