CHEEK

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does cheek mean? 

• CHEEK (noun)
  The noun CHEEK has 4 senses:

1. either side of the face below the eyes

2. an impudent statement

3. either of the two large fleshy masses of muscular tissue that form the human rump

4. impudent aggressiveness

  Familiarity information: CHEEK used as a noun is uncommon.

• CHEEK (verb)
  The verb CHEEK has 1 sense:

1. speak impudently to

  Familiarity information: CHEEK used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CHEEK (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Either side of the face below the eyes

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Hypernyms ("cheek" is a kind of...):

feature; lineament (the characteristic parts of a person's face: eyes and nose and mouth and chin)

Meronyms (parts of "cheek"):

buccinator muscle; cheek muscle; musculus buccinator (a muscle that flattens the cheek and retracts the angle of the mouth)

arteria buccalis; buccal artery (a branch of the maxillary artery that supplies blood to the buccinator muscle and the cheek)

Holonyms ("cheek" is a part of...):

face; human face (the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear)

Sense 2

Meaning:

An impudent statement

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

cheek; impertinence; impudence

Hypernyms ("cheek" is a kind of...):

discourtesy; disrespect (an expression of lack of respect)

Derivation:

cheek (speak impudently to)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Either of the two large fleshy masses of muscular tissue that form the human rump

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Synonyms:

buttock; cheek

Hypernyms ("cheek" is a kind of...):

body part (any part of an organism such as an organ or extremity)

Meronyms (parts of "cheek"):

glute; gluteal muscle; gluteus; gluteus muscle (any one of three large skeletal muscles that form the buttock and move the thigh)

Holonyms ("cheek" is a part of...):

body; torso; trunk (the body excluding the head and neck and limbs)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Impudent aggressiveness

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

boldness; brass; cheek; face; nerve

Context example:

he had the effrontery to question my honesty

Hypernyms ("cheek" is a kind of...):

aggressiveness (the quality of being bold and enterprising)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "cheek"):

audaciousness; audacity (aggressive boldness or unmitigated effrontery)

Derivation:

cheek (speak impudently to)

cheeky (offensively bold)

• CHEEK (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they cheek    ... he / she / it cheeks   
Past simple: cheeked   
Past participle: cheeked   
-ing form: cheeking   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Speak impudently to

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "cheek" is one way to...):

speak; talk (exchange thoughts; talk with)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

cheek (impudent aggressiveness)

cheek (an impudent statement)

 Context examples 

Her eyes were wide, color was in her pale cheeks, and before he finished it seemed to him that she was almost panting.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

His age may have been nearer forty than thirty, but his cheeks were so ruddy and his eyes so merry that he still conveyed the impression of a plump and mischievous boy.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The cheek was lovely but it was paled with emotion, the eyes were bright but it was the brightness of fever, the sensitive mouth was tight and drawn in an effort after self-command.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

She had blistering rashes on her fingers, toes, ears, nose, and cheeks, and she’d lost parts of her fingers to the disease.

(Gene linked to rare inflammatory disease in children, NIH)

Have you the cheek to ask how I am getting on?

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS) Facial and Oral Movements, Muscles of facial expression, e.g., movements of forehead, eyebrows, periorbital area, cheeks.

(AIMS - Muscles of Facial Expression, NCI Thesaurus)

It is used like chewing tobacco and is placed in the mouth, usually between the gum and cheek.

(Betel quid with tobacco, NCI Dictionary)

The region consisting of the vestibulum oris, the narrow cleft between the lips and cheeks, and the teeth and gums, and the cavitas oris propria.

(Buccal Cavity, NCI Thesaurus)

A capsule intended for administration between the cheek and gum of the oral cavity.

(Buccal Capsule Dosage Form, NCI Thesaurus)

The Clown put his hands in his pockets, and after puffing out his cheeks and nodding his head at them saucily, he said: (...)

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)