What does 'check' mean?

[fearisthekey]

So I suppose checking is:

'I do not wish to bet, I wish to see next card or showdown'
or
'I have an enormous hand and I think you probably have nothing and I want to checkraise or trap you'
or
'My crappy hand has missed so badly that I want the hand over with as quickly as possible'

Do people check in different ways depending on which one fits the bill? Sometimes late on heads up I will bet a checked flop, will be reraised, and often find myself thinking 'hmm, there was just some tiny pause difference there that gave that away', or live there's sometimes an exaggerated disinterest that gives it away. Is there anything really in this?

Also can someone please explain anyway what counts as a check? I have a habit of pushing my fingers down the outside of a column of chips when I'm thinking/nervous, and recently the dealer forced me to a check when I was doing this and the action was on me, despite my protest ?

[Claw75]

i have a habit when I'm thinking of drumming my fingers.  Something I've had to get out of the habit of when trying to work out what size bet my bluff on the river should be

[fearisthekey]

i have a habit when I'm thinking of drumming my fingers.  Something I've had to get out of the habit of when trying to work out what size bet my bluff on the river should be

even more risky online when you're finger drumming on that mouse, eh?

[Claw75]

i have a habit when I'm thinking of drumming my fingers.  Something I've had to get out of the habit of when trying to work out what size bet my bluff on the river should be

even more risky online when you're finger drumming on that mouse, eh?

no, I never bluff online