Swiss cheese

American  

noun

1. a firm, pale-yellow cheese made originally in Switzerland, typically made from cow's milk and having many holes.

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Swiss cheese British  

noun

1. a hard white or pale yellow cheese with holes, such as Gruyère or Emmenthal

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Etymology

Origin of Swiss cheese

First recorded in 1815–25

Example Sentences

Washington gave up eight goals in Philadelphia last Friday, leading Trotz to compare his defensive zone to swiss cheese.

From Washington Times • Oct. 19, 2017

Adobe’s Flash, hated the world over for slowing down computers, containing more holes in security than swiss cheese and stubbornly being the video carrier of choice until recently, is dying.

From The Guardian • Aug. 24, 2015

“Carrying barrels of holes from a swiss cheese factory to be made into crullers,” chuckled Lester.

From The Rushton Boys at Treasure Cove Or, The Missing Chest of Gold by Davenport, Spencer

It would be incorrect to call it powder, for it had no more the appearance of gunpowder, or any other "powder," than, as Ned said, swiss cheese.

From Tom Swift and His Giant Cannon, or, the Longest Shots on Record by Appleton, Victor [pseud.]