cheek by jowl

1. Situated side by side or in close contact: “The commuters were packed in the subway cheek by jowl.”

Idioms and Phrases

Side by side, close together, as in In that crowded subway car we stood cheek by jowl, virtually holding one another up . This term dates from the 16th century, when it replaced cheek by cheek .

Example Sentences

It’s also true that advertisers expressed concerns after Musk’s acquisition, and his firing of most of the staff responsible for trust and safety at X, that the chances their ads would end up cheek by jowl with posts from malodorous tweeters would rise.

From Los Angeles Times

Beatrice and I were cheek by jowl under the door when out of the blue she blurted, “Well, I for one am not going to be left behind! The Upstairs Cranstons are heading for the lifeboat! I’m going too. We are their mice. Our fates are intertwined with theirs!”

From Literature

People, boats, hencoops, chairs, rafts, boards, and goodness knows what besides, all floating cheek by jowl....Many people were praying aloud in a curious, unemotional monotone; others were shouting for help in much the same slow impersonal chant: ‘Bo-at...bo-at...bo-at....’

From Literature

Ruoff’s team has already used it to make diamond films composed of thousands of tiny crystals packed cheek by jowl.

From Science Magazine

The real potential for a next-level night on the town comes with the synergy between Hind’s food and booze options being cheek by jowl with Irie’s food-and-weed lounge concept.

From Los Angeles Times