Meanings
- board gamesSpoken by a player before adjusting a piece on the chessboard, to indicate that one is not making a move in the game.
Only the player having the move may adjust one or more pieces on their squares, provided that he/she first expresses his/her intention (for example by saying “j’adoube” or “I adjust”).
2022, “2023 Laws of Chess”, in FIDE, archived from the original on 16 Mar 2025, page 82 more examples
The English text reads: ‘Provided that he first expresses his intention (e.g. by saying “j’adoube” or “I adjust”), the player having the move may adjust one or more pieces on their squares.’ […] From Harry Golombek’s column on page 26 of The Times, 2 December 1967, with regard to the touch-piece and j’adoube rule: […] ‘Matulović-Bilek was a highly interesting game marred by an unpleasant dispute. On move 38 the Yugoslav champion Matulović is alleged to have taken back a move, then to have assured his opponent that he had said “j’adoube” and made another move.
2025 March 22, Edward Winter, “J’adoube”, in Chess History, archived from the original on 06 Aug 2025Of course, you can say "adjust" or "I adjust" as well, but "J'adoube" is recognized worldwide as the same thing—this distinction could be important if you play against someone who doesn't speak your language in an OTB game.
2025 September 22 (last accessed), “J'adoube - Chess Terms”, in Chess.com, archived from the original on 30 Jul 2025Synonyms: I adjust
Synonyms & antonyms
interjectionSpoken by a player before adjusting a piece on the chessboard, to indicate that one is not making a move in the game.
Origin
- Frenchj'adoube“I adjust”
- Englishj'adoube
Borrowed from French j'adoube (“I adjust”), from je (“I”) + adouber (“to adjust”).
More words from French
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
j'adoube. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/j'adoube
“j'adoube.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/j'adoube. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “j'adoube,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/j'adoube.
Source: j'adoube on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.