cheek

cheek
\ \ [OE] Old English cēace and cēoce go back respectively to prehistoric West Germanic *kǣkōn and *keukōn, but beyond that the word has no known relatives in other Indo-European languages. It has, however, produced one or two interesting offshoots. It forms the basis of the verb choke, and may be the source of chock-full (literally, ‘full up to the cheeks’); and Middle Dutch kākelen, source of English cackle [13], may be partly based on the related Middle Dutch kāke ‘jaw’. The metaphorical sense ‘impudence’ (whence cheeky) arose in the 19th century, originally as ‘insolent talk’.
\ \ Cf.⇒ CACKLE, CHOCK-FULL, CHOKE

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • Cheek — (ch[=e]k), n. [OE. cheke, cheoke, AS. ce[ a]ce, ce[ o]ce; cf. Goth. kukjan to kiss, D. kaak cheek; perh. akin to E. chew, jaw.] 1. The side of the face below the eye. [1913 Webster] 2. The cheek bone. [Obs.] Caucer. [1913 Webster] 3. pl. (Mech.)… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Cheek — ist der Familienname folgender Personen: Chris Cheek (* 1968), US amerikanischer Jazz Saxofonist James Richard Cheek, US amerikanischer Diplomat Joey Cheek (* 1979), US amerikanischer Eisschnellläufer Tom Cheek (1939–2005), US amerikanischer… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • cheek — (n.) O.E. ceace, cece jaw, jawbone, also the fleshy wall of the mouth. Perhaps from the root of O.E. ceowan chew (see CHEW (Cf. chew)), or from P.Gmc. *kaukon (Cf. M.L.G. kake jaw, jawbone, M.Du. kake jaw, Du. kaak) …   Etymology dictionary

  • cheek — cheek; cheek·er; cheek·i·ly; cheek·i·ness; cheek·less; …   English syllables

  • cheek — ► NOUN 1) either side of the face below the eye. 2) either of the buttocks. 3) impertinence; audacity. ► VERB ▪ speak impertinently to. ● cheek by jowl Cf. ↑cheek by jowl …   English terms dictionary

  • cheek´i|ly — cheek|y «CHEE kee», adjective, cheek|i|er, cheek|i|est. 1. Informal. saucy; impudent; audacious: »A gentleman as rich as Croesus …   Useful english dictionary

  • cheek|y — «CHEE kee», adjective, cheek|i|er, cheek|i|est. 1. Informal. saucy; impudent; audacious: »A gentleman as rich as Croesus …   Useful english dictionary

  • Cheek — (ch[=e]k), v. t. To be impudent or saucy to. [Slang.] [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • cheek — [n1] side of human face chop*, choppers*, gill, jowl; concept 418 cheek [n2] audacity, boldness brashness, brass*, brazenness, chutzpah*, confidence, disrespect, effrontery, gall, impertinence, impudence, insolence, lip*, nerve*, presumption,… …   New thesaurus

  • cheek — [chēk] n. [ME cheke < OE ceoke, jaw, jawbone; akin to Du kaak, LowG kâke, jaw (only WGmc)] 1. either side of the face between the nose and ear, below the eye 2. either of two sides of a thing, as the sides of a door jamb or the jaws of a vise… …   English World dictionary

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