cheek
cheek — noun
1. each of the two soft, rounded areas on the sides of a person's face, located bel
each of the two soft, rounded areas on the sides of a person's face, located below the eyes and beside the mouth and nose
Aiko wiped a tear from her cheek after reading the letter from her grandmother.
collocation: wipe a tear from [possessive] cheek
The old fisherman had a small scar on his left cheek from a childhood accident.
When the baby smiled, her chubby cheeks went pink with excitement.
Theo gently kissed his daughter on both cheeks before tucking her into bed.
Cold winter wind made Rohan's cheeks sting as he walked home from school.
用法筆記
This countable noun is often used in the plural when referring to both sides of the face together.
常見錯誤
2. bold or rude speech or actions that show a lack of the respect people expect, of
bold or rude speech or actions that show a lack of the respect people expect, often delivered with annoying confidence; the quality of behaving in this way
Diego had the cheek to ask for a raise after just two weeks in the job.
pattern: have the cheek to + infinitive
I cannot believe she had the cheek to blame me for her own mistake.
What a cheek! Leila's flatmate borrowed her laptop without even asking permission first.
The reporter had the cheek to interrupt the minister during a live interview.
Of all the cheek! He ate the last slice of cake I was saving for my sister.
- respect
the polite behaviour that cheek opposes
- politeness
courteous conduct, the opposite of cheeky behaviour
文法句型
have the cheek to + infinitive
what + a + cheek
用法筆記
Most commonly used in the fixed expression 'have the cheek to do something', which emphasises the speaker's disapproval. This sense is almost always singular or uncountable — do not use 'cheeks' for this meaning.
常見錯誤
3. one of the two fleshy, rounded sections that make up a person's bottom, located
one of the two fleshy, rounded sections that make up a person's bottom, located at the lower back of the body
The doctor asked him to turn over so she could examine his left cheek.
collocation: left cheek / right cheek (for BOTTOM sense)
Kofi's right cheek was sore after sitting on the hard wooden bench all afternoon.
Nadia rubbed her sore bottom cheek after the long bus ride over mountain roads.
The toddler had a red mark on one cheek after sitting on cold ground too long.
- buttock
the standard anatomical term; more formal than 'cheek' in this sense
- bottom half
a common paraphrase to avoid the body-part term
用法筆記
This sense is less common in everyday speech than 'FACE' sense. British speakers often use 'bottom' or 'bum' instead. The word 'cheek' here is more clinical or precise — for example, in medical or fitness contexts.
cheek — verb
1. to say something deliberately rude or disrespectful to a person, especially some
to say something deliberately rude or disrespectful to a person, especially someone older or in a position of authority, without feeling embarrassed about it
'Do not cheek me, young man!' his mother said when Tomás answered back rudely.
British informal register
A teenager cheeked the bus driver and was told to get off the bus.
pattern: cheek + person (direct object)
Hana got sent to the head teacher for cheek-ing the substitute during maths class.
A little girl cheeked her brother, and their father told her to say sorry.
- sass
American English equivalent; slightly less strong than 'cheek'
- talk back to
phrasal verb; more common in everyday speech across all English varieties
- respect
to treat someone with proper politeness, the opposite of cheek-ing them
文法句型
cheek + person
用法筆記
This verb is primarily British and informal. It is much less common than the noun form. The past tense is 'cheeked' (-ed, not -t). In American English, the closest equivalent is 'to sass (someone)'.