noun
cheek
cheek
noun
1
The soft, fleshy part on either side of the face, below the eye.
"She kissed him on the cheek."
"His cheeks turned red from the cold."
2
Bold or disrespectful speech; impudence, especially in a way that's more cheeky than offensive.
"He had the cheek to ask for a raise after being late all week."
verb
1
To speak to someone in a bold, disrespectful way.
"Don't cheek me, young man."
How to Use Cheek
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe side of your face — or, informally, a bit of nerve or sass in how someone talks.
When to use it
"Cheek" meaning impudence is mainly British/Commonwealth usage.
Common pairings
have the cheek to
turn the other cheek
rosy cheeks
Word Forms
cheeked past tense, cheeks plural, cheeks singular
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Etymology
From Old English ceace/ceoce, meaning "cheek" or "jaw", related to Dutch kaak and German Kiefer-type words for jaw.