Etymology : Middle English cheke, from Old English cEace; akin to Middle Low German kAke jawbone
Pronunciation : chEk
Function : noun
Date : before 12th century
1. part of the face located on either side of the nose; boldness, forwardness. be impudent, be insolent. sharp reply, sarcasm, lip "When I called Mom a crab, she said, ""No more of your cheek!""". cheek\cheek\ (chēk), n. [oe. cheke, cheoke, as. ceà ce, ce?ce; cf. goth. kukjan to kiss, d. kaak cheek; perh. akin to e. chew, jaw.].
2. the side of the face below the eye.
3. the cheek bone. [obs.] aucer.
4. pl. (mech.) those pieces of a machine, or of any timber, or stone work, which form corresponding sides, or which are similar and in pair; as, the cheeks (jaws) of a vise; the cheeks of a gun carriage, etc.
5. pl. the branches of a bridle bit.
6. (founding) a section of a flask, so made that it can be moved laterally, to permit the removal of the pattern from the mold; the middle part of a flask.
7. cool confidence; assurance; impudence. [slang]cheek of beef. see:
illust. of beef.cheek bone (anat.) the bone of the side of the face; esp., the malar bone.cheek by jowl, side by side; very intimate.cheek pouch (zo?l.), a sacklike dilation of the cheeks of certain monkeys and rodents, used for holding food.
8. The side of the face below the eye.
9. The cheek bone.
10. Those pieces of a machine, or of any timber, or stone work, which form corresponding sides, or which are similar and in pair; as, the cheeks of a vise; the cheeks of a gun carriage, etc.
11. The branches of a bridle bit.
12. A section of a flask, so made that it can be moved laterally, to permit the removal of the pattern from the mold; the middle part of a flask.
13. Cool confidence; assurance; impudence.
14. To be impudent or saucy to. either side of the face below the eyes speak impudently to.
15. 1. Your cheeks are the sides of your face below your eyes. Tears were running down her cheeks She kissed him lightly on both cheeks. + -cheeked -cheeked rosy-cheeked children.
16. You say that someone has a cheek when you are annoyed or shocked at something unreasonable that they have done. I'm amazed they had the cheek to ask in the first place I still think it's a bit of a cheek sending a voucher rather than a refund The cheek of it, lying to me like that!.
17. If you turn the other cheek when someone harms or insults you, you do not harm or insult them them in return.
18. cheek by jowl: see:
jowl. to speak rudely or with disrespect to someone, especially to someone older such as your teacher or parents American Equivalent: sass.