1. 
[syn: deadlock, dead end, impasse, stalemate, standstill]
2.  drawing position in chess: any of a player's possible moves would place his king in check; 
VERB (1)
1.  subject to a stalemate; 
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Stalemate \Stale"mate`\ (-m[=a]t`), n. (Chess)
   The position of the king when he can not move without being
   placed in check and there is no other piece which can be
   moved.
   [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Stalemate \Stale"mate`\, v. t. (Chess)
   To subject to a stalemate; hence, to bring to a stand.
   [1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
stalemate
    n 1: a situation in which no progress can be made or no
         advancement is possible; "reached an impasse on the
         negotiations" [syn: deadlock, dead end, impasse,
         stalemate, standstill]
    2: drawing position in chess: any of a player's possible moves
       would place his king in check
    v 1: subject to a stalemate
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:
63 Moby Thesaurus words for "stalemate":
   Tweedledum and Tweedledee, arrest, bell, blind alley, block, box,
   brake, bring to, bring up short, check, checkmate, corner,
   cul-de-sac, cut short, cutoff, dam, dead end, dead heat, dead stop,
   dead-end street, deadlock, draw, draw rein, end, endgame, ending,
   even break, extremity, fair shake, final whistle, freeze,
   full stop, grinding halt, gun, halt, hole, impasse, knotted score,
   lockout, mate, neck-and-neck race, photo finish, pull up,
   put paid to, sit-down strike, stall, stand, stand-off, standoff,
   standstill, stay, stem, stem the tide, stop, stop cold, stop dead,
   stop short, stoppage, strike, the same, tie, walkout,
   work stoppage