For the meaning of word "checking," you can turn to the ending simile. Ask yourself, what would a chain do? Someone pulling a chain connected to you would not support or improve your walking, eliminating the last two answers. A chain "dismissing" you wouldn't really make sense either. However, a chain would halt, or prohibit, your step, thus, "halting" makes the most sense.
<span>"Sneaking around" would be a better synonym as it means to pry into others affairs or in a fashion not overt but with an eye to gathering information which can be used against the person being searched later on.</span>
