cheek
gb/t͡ʃˈik/ us/t͡ʃˈik/
A2
English
~ 2500
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
Side of the face below the eye
The soft part on the side of your face, under your eye and above your mouth.
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s cheek
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'cheek' with 'chin'; the chin is below the mouth, not on the side of the face.
Synonyms
jowl (Refers to the lower cheek area, often implying looseness or sagging.)
Antonyms
forehead (Opposite area of the face in terms of location.)
Collocations
rosy cheeks
|kiss on the cheek
|cheek bone
|pale cheeks
Themes
body
|appearance
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She brushed a tear from her cheek.
- He kissed her gently on the cheek.
- Her cheeks turned red from the cold.
- The baby had chubby cheeks.
Learner examples
- He kissed her on the cheek.
- My cheeks are cold.
- She has red cheeks.
- The baby has fat cheeks.
Noun
informal
B1
property
2
Rude or disrespectful behavior
Speaking or acting in a rude way to someone, especially to a person in authority.
Usage pattern:
to give [someone] cheek
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with 'cheeky', which is the adjective form, not the noun.
Synonyms
sass (More common in American English; informal and playful tone possible.)
Antonyms
respect (Polite and considerate behavior toward others.)
Collocations
a bit of cheek
|show cheek
|have the cheek to
Themes
behavior
|emotions
|communication
|relationships
Examples
- He had the cheek to tell me I was wrong.
- Don't give me any cheek, young man.
- She showed some cheek by interrupting the meeting.
Learner examples
- He gave his teacher some cheek.
- She had the cheek to ask for more money.
- Don't give me cheek.
Noun
B2
entity
3
One side of the buttocks
One side of your bottom.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with facial cheeks; context usually makes it clear.
Synonyms
buttock (More formal and anatomical term for either side of the rear end.)
Collocations
buttock cheek
|sit on one's cheeks
Themes
body
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He felt a sharp pain in his right cheek after sitting too long.
- The tattoo was hidden on one cheek.
- She fell and landed on her left cheek.
Learner examples
- I hurt my right cheek when I fell.
- He sat on his cheeks for a long time.
- She has a tattoo on one cheek.
Grammar
Dictionary form
cheek
IPA
GB/t͡ʃˈik/
US/t͡ʃˈik/
Syllables & stress
cheek (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (cheek)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: cheek
- Plural: cheek, cheeks
Word family
Forms
cheeks
noun
Core family
cheeky
adjective B2
Related words
cheekbone
noun
cheekily
adverb
cheekiness
noun
Expressions
cheek by jowl
1/t͡ʃˈik bˈaɪ d͡ʒˈaʊl/
idiom
literary
Very close together physically
Very close together in space; side by side.
Examples
- The houses were built cheek by jowl along the narrow street.
- They worked cheek by jowl in a tiny office.
have the cheek to [do something]
1/hˈæv ðə t͡ʃˈik tə dˈu sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
informal
Act rudely or boldly toward someone
To do something rude or bold that surprises people, especially toward someone important.
Examples
- He had the cheek to ask for more time after missing every deadline.
- She had the cheek to tell me I was wrong in my own house.
turn the other cheek
1/tˈɚn ðə ˈʌðɚ t͡ʃˈik/
idiom
Not retaliate after being harmed
To not try to hurt someone back when they hurt you; to forgive instead.
Examples
- Even after being insulted, he turned the other cheek.
- She decided to turn the other cheek instead of arguing back.