Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Cheek

Cheek

(chēk)
,
Noun.
[OE.
cheke
,
cheoke
, AS.
ceàce
,
ceòce
; cf. Goth.
kukjan
to kiss, D.
kaak
cheek; perh. akin to E.
chew
,
jaw
.]
1.
The side of the face below the eye.
2.
The cheek bone.
[Obs.]
Caucer.
3.
pl.
(Mech.)
Those pieces of a machine, or of any timber, or stone work, which form corresponding sides, or which are similar and in pair;
as, the
cheeks
(jaws) of a vise; the
cheeks
of a gun carriage, etc.
4.
pl.
The branches of a bridle bit.
Knight.
5.
(Founding)
A section of a flask, so made that it can be moved laterally, to permit the removal of the pattern from the mold; the middle part of a flask.
6.
Cool confidence; assurance; impudence.
[Slang]
Cheek of beef
.
See Illust. of
Beef
.
–
Cheek bone
(Anat.)
the bone of the side of the face; esp., the malar bone.
–
Cheek by jowl
,
side by side; very intimate.
–
Cheek pouch
(Zool.)
,
a sacklike dilation of the cheeks of certain monkeys and rodents, used for holding food.
–
Cheeks of a block
,
the two sides of the shell of a tackle block.
–
Cheeks of a mast
,
the projection on each side of a mast, upon which the trestletrees rest.
–
Cheek tooth
(Anat.)
,
a hinder or molar tooth.
–
Butment cheek
.
See under
Butment
.

Cheek

(chēk)
,
Verb.
T.
To be impudent or saucy to.
[Slang.]

Webster 1828 Edition

Cheek

CHEEK

, n.
1.
The side of the face below the eyes on each side.
2.
Among mechanics, cheeks are those pieces of a machine which form corresponding sides, or which are double and alike; as the cheeks of a printing press, which stand perpendicular and support the three sommers, the head, shelves and winter; the cheeks of a turners lathe; the cheeks of a glaziers vise; the cheeks of a mortar, and of a gun-carriage; the cheeks of a mast, which serve to sustain the trestle trees, &c.
Cheek by jowl, closeness, proximity.

Definition 2024

Cheek

Cheek

See also: cheek

English

Proper noun

Cheek

  1. A pre-Norman surname​.

cheek

cheek

See also: Cheek

English

Noun

cheek ‎(plural cheeks)

  1. (anatomy) The soft skin on each side of the face, below the eyes; the outer surface of the sides of the oral cavity.
  2. (anatomy, informal, usually in the plural) A buttock.
  3. (informal) Impudence.
    You’ve got some cheek, asking me for money!
  4. (biology, informal) One of the genae, flat areas on the sides of a trilobite's cephalon.
  5. The pieces of a machine, or of timber or stonework, that form corresponding sides or a similar pair.
    the cheeks of a vice; the cheeks of a gun carriage
  6. (in the plural) The branches of a bridle bit.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Knight to this entry?)
  7. (metalworking) The middle section of a flask, made so that it can be moved laterally, to permit the removal of the pattern from the mould.

Synonyms

Derived terms

See also

Translations

Verb

cheek ‎(third-person singular simple present cheeks, present participle cheeking, simple past and past participle cheeked)

  1. To be impudent towards.
    • 1942, Emily Carr, The Book of Small, "Sunday,"
      We did not like him much because he kissed us and was preachy when we cheeked pretty Tallie, who did not rule over us as Dede did […]
    Don't cheek me, you little rascal!

Etymology

From Middle English cheeke, cheke, cheoke, choke, from Old English ċēce, ċēace, ċēoce ‎(“cheek; jaw”), from Proto-Germanic *kekǭ, *kēkǭ, *kakǭ, *kaukǭ, *keukǭ ‎(“jaw; palate; pharynx”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵyewh₁- ‎(“to chew”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Sooke ‎(“cheek”), West Frisian tsjeak ‎(“jaw”), Dutch kaak ‎(“jaw; cheek”), Swedish käke ‎(“jaw; jowl”), Norwegian kjake ‎(“jaw”), Old Norse kók ‎(“mouth; gullet”).

Pronunciation

  • enPR: chēk, IPA(key): /tʃiːk/

Similar Results