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, chees·ing.

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

verb (used with object)

, cheesed, chees·ing.

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, chees·ing.

1. to stop; desist.

cheese

³

[ cheez ]

noun

, Slang.

1. big cheese ( def ).
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. big cheese slang.
   an important person
5. as alike as chalk and cheese or as different as chalk and cheese
   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 ³fordef 2; 1895–1900 cheese ³fordef 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. cheese it, Slang.
   1. look out!
   2. run away!
2. cut the cheese, Slang. to expel gas from the stomach and bowels through the anus; fart.

More idioms and phrases containing cheese

• big cheese

Example Sentences

It was love baked into grilled cheeses and currents of laughter that swept through the house during unexpected moments of long quiet.

From Los Angeles Times

I'm a cheese guy through and through and I see so many wonderful varieties on your menu.

From Salon

"He was eating a packet of Walkers cheese and onion crisps and he wasn't blinking," she said.

From BBC

The rejuvenated bread "has the texture of French toast and the flavor of grilled cheese."

From Salon

But a number of these food crimes have also targeted the cheese industry – and in particular luxury cheese.

From BBC

Related Words

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