\Ex*cheq"uer\, n. [OE. escheker, OF. eichekier, fr.
LL. scaccarium. See {Checker}, {Chess}, {Check}.]
1. One of the superior courts of law; -- so called from a
   checkered cloth, which covers, or formerly covered, the
   table. [Eng.]
Note: The exchequer was a court of law and equity. In the
      revenue department, it had jurisdiction over the
      proprietary rights of the crown against subjects; in
      the common law department, it administered justice in
      personal actions between subject and subject. A person
      proceeding against another in the revenue department
      was said to exchequer him. The judges of this court
      were one chief and four puisne barons, so styled. The
      Court of Exchequer Chamber sat as court of error in
      which the judgments of each of the superior courts of
      common law, in England, were subject to revision by the
      judges of the other two sitting collectively. Causes
      involving difficult questions of law were sometimes
      after argument, adjourned into this court from the
      other courts, for debate before judgment in the court
      below. Recent legislation in England (1880) has
      abolished the Court of Exchequer and the Court of
      Exchequer Chamber, as distinct tribunals, a single
      board of judiciary, the High Court of Justice, being
      established for the trial of all classes of civil
      cases. --Wharton.
2. The department of state having charge of the collection
   and management of the royal revenue. [Eng.] Hence, the
   treasury; and, colloquially, pecuniary possessions in
   general; as, the company's exchequer is low.
{Barons of the exchequer}. See under {Baron}.
{Chancellor of the exchequer}. See under {Chancellor}.
{Exchequer} {bills or bonds} (Eng.), bills of money, or
   promissory bills, issued from the exchequer by authority
   of Parliament; a species of paper currency emitted under
   the authority of the government, and bearing interest.

\Ex*cheq"uer\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Exchequered}; p.
pr. & vb. n. {Exchequering}.]
To institute a process against (any one) in the Court of
Exchequer.