cut the cheese
To fart loudly.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Someone in the back of the bus cut the cheese.”
“My brother always laughs when he cuts the cheese.”
“Do not cut the cheese while we are in the car.”
“The dog looked guilty after he cut the cheese during the family dinner.”
“You should probably open a window because the toddler just cut the cheese while playing on the rug.”
“I tried to stay serious during the yoga class, but the person next to me suddenly cut the cheese.”
“The quiet library became very awkward after a student accidentally cut the cheese during the final exam.”
“In the crowded elevator, a businessman shifted uncomfortably, pretending not to notice who had cut the cheese.”
The idiom draws a comparison to the pungent aroma released by certain varieties of cheese when their rinds are breached. These rinds function as a seal for the various gases produced during the ripening process; consequently, the act of slicing into the cheese allows the concentrated odour to escape into the immediate environment. Under this analogy, the transition from a contained state to a public olfactory event is equated to flatulence.
- 01
a little bit of bread and no cheese
Used to represent the song of the yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella).
- 02
big cheese
A very important figure, especially a high-ranking person in an organization.
- 03
chalk and cheese
Said of things that are very different, though possibly superficially alike.
- 04
cheese tax
A portion of cheese given to a domestic animal such as a dog or cat, usually when the cheese is being brought out or prepared for human consumption.
- 05
cheesed off
Annoyed, upset, angry.
- 06
clear cut
Straightforward, obvious, simple, or basic.
- 07
cock cheese
Smegma or dried semen on the glans penis, usually underneath the foreskin.
- 08
cut a dash
To make a display of oneself; to give a conspicuous impression.
Last updated August 10, 2026