cheese

¹

[cheez]

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.

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.

cheese

²

[cheez]

verb (used with object)

Slang.

cheesed, cheesing 

1. to stop; desist.

cheese

³

[cheez]

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.

cheese

¹

/ 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

cheese

²

/ tʃiːz /

verb

1. (tr) to stop; desist

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

Word History and Origins

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”

Word History and Origins

Origin of cheese¹

Old English cēse, from Latin cāseus cheese; related to Old Saxon kāsi

Origin of cheese²

C19: of unknown origin

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

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

2. cheese it,

   1. look out!

   2. run away!

More idioms and phrases containing cheese

• big cheese

Example Sentences

And very little fried and processed foods, red meat, cheese and sweets.

From Los Angeles Times

Every burnt sauce, every floppy omelet, every literal grilled cheese attempt became a small opportunity for learning.

From Salon

I ordered my usual: fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, candied yams and a biscuit slathered in grape jelly butter.

From Salon

Still, unless you’re in the market for a new car, or perhaps have noticed that the cheese imported from France is no longer on the shelf at Costco, you likely have not been much impacted.

From Salon

“This can come from milk, yogurt, or cheese. It can also come from lactose-free milk and fortified soy milk or yogurt.”

From Salon

Related Words

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