exchequer

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exchequer †chess-board XIII; department of state concerned with the royal revenues, so called orig. with ref. to the table covered with a cloth divided into squares on which the accounts were kept by means of counters XIV; court of law theoretically concerned with revenue; office charged with the receipt and custody of public revenue XV; pecuniary possessions XVII. ME. escheker — AN. escheker, OF. eschequier — medL. scaccārium chess-board, f. scaccus CHECK1; see -ER2. The form with ex- (from XV) is due to assoc. of OF. es- with EX-1, as in exchange.

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