'vaguely-checked' originates from the combination of 'vaguely' and 'checked', where 'vaguely' means 'in a way that is not clear or definite' and 'checked' means 'examined or verified'.

'vaguely' comes from the Latin word 'vagus', meaning 'wandering', and 'checked' comes from the Old French 'eschequier', meaning 'to stop or restrain'.

Initially, 'vaguely' meant 'wandering or uncertain', and 'checked' meant 'restrained or stopped'. Over time, 'vaguely-checked' evolved to mean 'examined in an unclear or imprecise manner'.