exchequer

UK: 'exchequer', 'Exchequer': /ɪksˈtʃɛkə/, /ɛksˈtʃɛkə/

US: (eks′chek ər, iks chek′ər)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

ex•cheq•uer  (eks′chek ər, iks chek′ər), n. 

1. a treasury, as of a state or nation.
2. (in Great Britain)
   • (often cap.) the governmental department in charge of the public revenues.
   • (formerly) an office administering the royal revenues and determining all cases affecting them.
   • Law (cap.) Also called Court of Exchequer. an ancient common-law court of civil jurisdiction in which cases affecting the revenues of the crown were tried, now merged in the King's Bench Division of the High Court.
3. Informal Terms one's financial resources;
   funds:
   I'd love to go, but the exchequer is a bit low.

• Anglo-French escheker, eschekier (Old French eschequier) chessboard, counting table. See checker¹
• Middle English escheker, eschequier 1250–1300

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

exchequer / ɪksˈtʃɛkə/ noun

1. (often capital) (in Britain and certain other countries) the accounting department of the Treasury, responsible for receiving and issuing funds
2. personal funds; finances

Etymology: 13th Century (in the sense: chessboard, counting table): from Old French eschequier, from eschec check