Rarely in sing. -man. [The ME. chesse-meyne contains meyne a company, a. OF. meyné (also used for ‘les pièces du jeu d’échecs,’ Godefroy); from this, chess-men (Caxton) apparently arose either by substitution or by confusion.]
The pieces (eight ‘pieces’ proper and eight pawns on each side) with which chess is played.
[c. 1314. Guy Warw., 3195. The cheker thai oxy and the meynè [rhyme pleyen he].
1474. Caxton, Chesse, I. iii. The table of the chesse borde and the chesse meyne. Ibid., IV. i. The formes of the chesse men and of their offices.
1552. Huloet, Chest-men, or table men, tessaræ.
1578. Inv. R. Wardrobe, 238 (Jam.). Greit chas men of bane.
1581. Sidney, Apol. Poetry (Arb.), 53. Wee must giue names to our Chesse-men.
1690. Locke, Hum. Und., II. xiii. 9. The Place of each Chess-man.
