Chess (?), n. [OE. ches, F.
échecs, prop. pl. of échec 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.]
☞ Other species of brome grass are called upright
chess, soft chess, etc.