exchequer

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noun ex·che·quer \ˈeks-ˌche-kər, iks-ˈche-\

Definition of exchequer

1 capitalized : a department or office of state in medieval England charged with the collection and management of the royal revenue and judicial determination of all revenue causes
2 capitalized : a former superior court having jurisdiction in England and Wales primarily over revenue matters and now merged with King's Bench
3 often capitalized a : the department or office of state in Great Britain and Northern Ireland charged with the receipt and care of the national revenueb : the national banking account of this realm
4 : treasury; especially : a national or royal treasury
5 : pecuniary resources : funds

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Examples of exchequer in a Sentence

their son would make beseeching requests for more money whenever his personal exchequer was getting low

Origin and Etymology of exchequer

Middle English escheker, from Anglo-French, chessboard, counting table, exchequer — more at checker

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First Known Use: 14th century

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Law Dictionary

exchequer

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noun ex·che·quer \ˈeks-ˌche-kər, iks-ˈche-\

Legal Definition of exchequer

1 capitalized : a royal office in medieval England at first responsible for the collection and management of the royal revenue and later for the adjudication of revenue cases
2 capitalized : a former superior court having law and equity jurisdiction in England and Wales over primarily revenue cases and now merged with the Queen's Bench Division of the High Court of Justice —called also Court of the Exchequer Editor's note: The Exchequer was created in England by the Norman kings. In addition to being divided into a court of common law and a court of equity, at one point the Exchequer also had jurisdiction over all actions, except those involving real property, between two subjects of the Crown. In 1841, the Exchequer's equity jurisdiction, except over revenue cases, was transferred to the Court of Chancery, and in 1881 the Exchequer was merged into the Queen's Bench Division of the High Court of Justice.
3 often capitalized : the office in Great Britain and Northern Ireland responsible for the collection and care of the national revenue

Origin and Etymology of exchequer

Anglo-French eschecker, eschequ(i)er, from Old French eschequier royal treasury, reckoning board or cloth marked with squares, literally, chessboard, from eschec chess