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

Digging back into these old cookbooks is an opportunity to eschew the fatphobic, classist expectations that govern what is “good” and “bad” food and just eat the damn fake cheese.

From Eater

It’s the stacking of “multiple layers of cheese on top of each other that close those holes,” she says.

From Science News For Students

Every public-health measure to limit the spread of a virus “is like a layer of Swiss cheese,” Blaisdell says.

From Science News For Students

We want to end your pain and suffering by offering you some options for precise pizza cutters that can cut through even the thickest layer of cheese.

From Popular-Science

“Every public health layer is like a layer of Swiss cheese with a hole in it,” Blaisdell says.

From Science News

Mixing meat and dairy is a kosher rule-breaker, so they switched the cheese for potatoes.

From The Daily Beast

Before serving, bake the cheese packages, combine the salad and vinaigrette, and serve.

From The Daily Beast

Bake the goat cheese packages for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown.

From The Daily Beast

A French green bean salad with warm goat cheese reminds Ina Garten of having lunch in Paris.

From The Daily Beast

I remember them coming over all adorable with mac and cheese, collard greens, fried chicken.

From The Daily Beast

Aristide lived on bread and cheese, and foresaw the time when cheese would be a sinful luxury.

From Project Gutenberg

A bailee received some cheese and gave a receipt slating that it was to be kept at the owner's risk of loss from water.

From Project Gutenberg

Coals!what would he do with coals?Toast his cheese with em, and then come back for more.

From Project Gutenberg

The brown loaf was cut by a very excited little hostess into five thick squares; the cheese into four.

From Project Gutenberg

Between the pastry and the dessert, have salad and cheese placed before each guest.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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