From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishcheekcheek1 /tʃiːk/ ●●● W3 noun 1 [countable]HBH the soft round part of your face below each of your eyes Lucy stretched up to kiss his cheek. Billy had rosy cheeks and blue eyes. her tear-stained cheeks Julie’s cheeks flushed with pleasure at the compliment.red-cheeked/hollow-cheeked/rosy-cheeked etc a red-cheeked plump old fellow2 [singular, uncountable] British EnglishRUDE/IMPOLITE disrespectful or rude behaviour, especially towards someone in a position of authority I’ve had enough of your cheek.have the cheek to do something He had the cheek to make personal remarks and expect no reaction. She’s got a cheek; she just goes on till she gets what she wants. It’s a bit of a cheek, asking me for money. What a cheek! Of course I read the instructions!3 → cheek by jowl (with somebody/something)4 → turn the other cheek5 → cheek to cheek6 [countable] informalHBH one of the two soft fleshy parts of your bottom SYN buttock → tongue in cheek at tongue1(6), → tongue-in-cheek
Examples from the Corpus
cheek• The light from the window spilled along her cheek and lips, and made a dazzling star in her glass.• The woman stopped crying, although her shoulders continued to heave, and her cheeks were still wet with tears.• Her eyes drifted from his face to the smoothly muscled shoulder near her cheek.• A gentle touch on her cheek, then her arm.• There was smeared blood at the corner of his mouth, a grassy bruise on his cheek.• She showed me his face, pinching his cheeks, and offered him.• I kissed Mom on the cheek and said good night.• You could toast the bread on your cheeks.have the cheek to do something• Conservative Members, however, have the cheek to suggest that that is the fault of local government, not theirs.cheekcheek2 verb [transitive] British EnglishRUDE/IMPOLITE to speak rudely or with disrespect to someone, especially to someone older such as your teacher or parents SYN sass American English You can cheek some teachers and they just don’t do anything.→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
cheek• They all have to go through it, cheeking the cops.• Bernadette had been sacked for cheeking the nurse.Origin cheek Old English ceace 