mass noun
1- Chess a position counting as a draw, in which a player is not in check but cannot move except into check【棋】无子可动, 王棋受困。
1.1
- a situation in which further action or progress by opposing or competing parties seems impossible僵持, 僵局：
the war had again reached stalemate.
战争再次陷入僵局。
with obj.
- bring to or cause to reach stalemate使王棋受困, 将…逼和; 使僵持, 使陷入僵局：
as adj. stalemated the currently stalemated peace talks.当前陷入僵局的和谈。
词源
mid 18th cent.: from obsolete stale （from Anglo-Norman French estale 'position', from estaler 'be placed'） + MATE2.