chekhov's gun

you better shoot that thang

Danny: oh hey a gun
Kurtis: well, you know what they say about chekhov's gun
both: you better shoot that thang

by squiddy_animations February 27, 2022

Chekhov's footgun

An obvious bad decision made early on, noticed but ignored, that remains harmless for a significant period of time and inevitably causes damage when the decision is invoked.

"I'll just duct tape it, just a temporary fix. I'll do it properly later."
"That's Chekhov's footgun waiting to fire. Do it properly right now."

by LeCircumflex February 2, 2026

Chekhov's Dud

When an irrelevant story element is accidentally brought up in a way that makes it seem important, when it really isn't.

A large painting was hung in Act 1, but was Chekhov's Dud, as the painting was just a set piece.

by SadMaddy March 9, 2026

Chekhov's Atom Bomb

When a director is clearly trying to be clever and force a Chekhov's Gun into their story, but it's painfully obvious what it is.

*obvious twist villain picks up a knife in a dedicated close-up shot*
protagonist: woah! you're clearly gonna kill me with that knife! this director fucking sucks, what a chekhov's atom bomb

by andcastle December 25, 2025

Chekhostrophe

An event that causes many people incurable emotional pain and suffering that lasts for a very, very long time and almost always caused by unrequited or impossible love in the spiritually and morally dead society

It seemed that fate itself had destined them for each other, but he had a wife, and she had a husband. They were like two birds, who had been caught and forced to live in separate cages on the brink of chekhostrophe.

by Erik.Mam May 7, 2020

Chekov's Army

A situation where everything or almost everything is important or a clue to something else.
Like the Chekov's Gun, but a lot bigger.

I remember when people didn't treat FNAF like a Chekov's Army.

by Temmie Attano November 12, 2016

A Chekov

1). Someone who screams way too much (TOS definition)

2.) A young person who is very intelligent (ST:XI definition)

Both definitions are based off of the Star Trek character of Ensign Pavel Chekov, USS Enterprise navigator.

1.) "Didi you see him during that scary movie? He was being such a Chekov. I couldn't hear right the rest of the night.

2.) That kid's a real Chekov. He's got a 4.0 grade in advanced physics.

by WannabeRomulan August 14, 2010