check and tab share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. check means “examine so as to determine accuracy, quality, or condition”. tab means “the bill in a restaurant”. check is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈtʃɛk/
1.v.examine so as to determine accuracy, quality, or condition
“check the brakes”
2.v.make an examination or investigation
“check into the rumor”
3.v.be careful or certain to do something; make certain of something
“He verified that the valves were closed”
/ˈtæb/
1.n.the bill in a restaurant
“he asked the waiter for the check”
2.n.sensationalist journalism
3.n.the key on a typewriter or a word processor that causes a tabulation
| check | tab | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈtʃɛk/ | /ˈtæb/ |
| Said | chek | tab |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| Letters | 5 | 3 |
| Parts of speech | verb, noun | noun |
| Senses | 38 | 5 |
| How common | Core | Common |
| Synonyms | check up on, look into, check out | check, chit |
Full entry for check · Full entry for tab · More comparisons