cheese

¹ American  

[cheez] / tʃiz /

noun

1. the curd of milk separated from the whey and prepared in many ways as a food.

2. a definite mass of this substance, often in the shape of a wheel or cylinder.

3. something of similar shape or consistency, as a mass of pulpy apple residue in cider making.

4. Informal. partly digested milk curds sometimes spit up by infants.

5. cheeses, any of several mallows, especially Malva neglecta, a sprawling, weedy plant having small lavender or white flowers and round, flat, segmented fruits thought to resemble little wheels of cheese.

6. Slang: Vulgar. smegma.

7. Slang. money.

   I’m just trying to get my name out there and hopefully earn some cheese.

8. Metalworking.

   1. a transverse section cut from an ingot, as for making into a tire.

   2. an ingot or billet made into a convex, circular form by blows at the ends.

9. a low curtsy.

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verb (used without object)

cheesed, cheesing

1. Informal. (of infants) to spit up partly digested milk curds.

verb (used with object)

cheesed, cheesing

1. (in a game, especially a video game) to win (a battle round) by using a strategy that requires minimal skill and knowledge or that exploits a glitch or flaw in game design.

   He cheesed the fight by trapping his enemy in the environment and attacking without taking damage.

2. Metalworking. to forge (an ingot or billet) into a cheese.

idioms

1. cut the cheese, to expel gas from the stomach and bowels through the anus; fart.

cheese ² American  

[cheez] / tʃiz /

verb (used with object)

Slang.

cheesed, cheesing

1. to stop; desist.

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idioms

1. cheese it,

   1. look out!

   2. run away!

cheese ³ American  

[cheez] / tʃiz /

noun

Slang.

1. big cheese.

2. Slang. the cheese,

   1. a person or thing that is splendid or first-rate.

   2. something that is exactly what is wanted or required.

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cheese ¹ British  

/ tʃiːz /

noun

1. the curd of milk separated from the whey and variously prepared as a food

2. a mass or complete cake of this substance

3. any of various substances of similar consistency, etc

   lemon cheese

4. slang an important person

5. See chalk

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cheese ² British  

/ tʃiːz /

verb

1. (tr) to stop; desist

2. slang:prison (intr) to act in a grovelling manner

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cheese More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing cheese

• big cheese

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Etymology

Origin of cheese¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English chese, Old English cēse (cognate with Old Saxon and Old High German kāsi, German Käse ), from Germanic kasjus, from Latin cāseus

Origin of cheese²

First recorded in 1805–15; perhaps alteration of cease

Origin of cheese³

First recorded in 1835–40 cheese ³ for def. 2; 1895–1900 cheese ³ for def. 1; from Urdu chīz “thing, valuable thing,” from Persian cīz, from Old Persian cish(-ciy) “(some)thing”

Example Sentences

The appetizers, especially the charred grapes with mozzarella cheese and balsamic vinegar cream, were better than the main course.

From The Wall Street Journal

The federal government has been promoting an upside down pyramid that features steak and cheese at the top, along with vegetables, to go along with its new dietary guidelines.

From The Wall Street Journal

Of all the days for the main road in town to be covered with nacho cheese.

From Literature

Bowles said in offices where the company struggled to retain workers postmerger, it added perks like refreshment fridges, with soft drinks, sparkling water and healthy snacks like fruit and cheese.

From The Wall Street Journal

In Thessaly, where around 45 percent of the briny white cheese is made from sheep and goat's milk, the impact of the disease is already significant.

From Barron's

Related Words

• confuse
• disguise
• distort
• exaggerate
• falsify
• misinterpret
• misstate
• overstate
• skew