The Exchequer is the department in the British government which is responsible for receiving, issuing, and accounting for money belonging to the state.
exchequer in British English
(ɪksˈtʃɛkə)
noun
1. (often capital) government
(in Britain and certain other countries) the accounting department of the Treasury, responsible for receiving and issuing funds
2. informal
personal funds; finances
Word origin
C13 (in the sense: chessboard, counting table): from Old French eschequier, from escheccheck
Exchequer in British English
(ɪksˈtʃɛkə)
noun
Court of Exchequer
exchequer in American English
(ɛksˈtʃɛkər; ɪksˈtʃɛkər; ˈɛksˌtʃɛkər)
noun
1. [E-]
a.
under the Norman kings of England, an administrative and judicial state department in charge of revenue
so called from a table marked into squares, on which accounts of revenue were keptwith counters
b.
later, the British Court of Exchequer, which had jurisdiction over all cases relating to government revenue, now merged in the Queen's Bench Division of the High Court of Justice
c. [oftenE-]
the British state department in charge of the national revenue
2.
the funds in the British treasury
3.
a treasury, as of a country or organization
4.
money in one's possession; funds; finances
Word origin
ME escheker, lit., chessboard, court of revenue, treasury < OFr eschekier: see checker1
Examples of 'exchequer' in a sentence
exchequer
These individuals and corporations all used highly complex schemes to minimise tax at the expense of the British exchequer.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
People who are resident in Britain and domiciled here pay tax to the British exchequer on their worldwide income and gains.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
And it would be nice to spend my hard-earned cash on a company that actually pays taxes into the British exchequer.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The current situation deprives the exchequer of income and gives overseas companies a trading advantage over UK firms that pay their taxes in full.