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A.Word.A.Day--stalemate stalemate (STAYL-mayt) noun 1. A position where no other pieces can move and king cannot move without going into check. 2. A deadlocked situation. verb tr. To bring into a stalemate. [From Middle English, from Anglo-Norman estale (a fixed position) + -mate.] "`We can again resort to lobbying in case we fail to avoid a stalemate,' Latief said." Wiranto Elected Chairman of Team to Elect President, The Jakarta Post (Indonesia), Oct 28, 1997. This week's theme: words from chess. X-Bonus Inside my empty bottle I was constructing a lighthouse while all the others were making ships. -Charles Simic

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