• n. 僵局；陷于困境
• vt. 使僵持；使陷入困境
• vi. 僵持；陷入僵局

来自古义 stale,固定的，僵持的，mate,杀，将军，词源同 checkmate.引申比喻义僵局。

stalemate

stalemate: [18] Stalemate is a compound noun, based on the now obsolete stale ‘stalemate’. And this in turn was probably borrowed from Anglo- Norman estale ‘fixed position’, a derivative of Old French estaler ‘halt’, which also underlies English stale and stall. So etymologically, when you reach stalemate in chess, you have to ‘stand’ or ‘halt’ where you are, going neither forward nor back.

stalemate (n.)

1765, in chess, from stale "stalemate" (early 15c.) + mate (n.2) "checkmate." Middle English stale is probably from Anglo-French estale "standstill" (see stall (n.2)). A misnomer, because a stale is not a mate. "In England from the 17th c. to the beginning of the 19th c. the player who received stalemate won the game" [OED]. Figurative sense is recorded from 1885. As a verb from 1765; figurative from 1861.

1. Efforts to break the stalemate in the peace talks continue.

打破和平谈判僵局的努力仍在继续.

来自《简明英汉词典》

2. Discussions are locked in stalemate.

讨论陷于僵局.

来自《简明英汉词典》

3. The stalemate in the trade talks continues.

贸易谈判的僵持仍在继续.

来自《简明英汉词典》

4. The war was at a stalemate.

战争处于相持阶段.

来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5. The fight resulted in a stalemate.

战斗形成对峙局面.

来自《现代汉英综合大词典》