# cheese

/ˈtʃiz/ (US) · /tʃˈiːz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/cheese
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. dairy product

noun · CEFR A1

a food made from the pressed curds of milk.

For teachers: a food product derived from the coagulation of the milk protein casein.

- I usually put a slice of cheese on my ham sandwich.
- The platter featured an assortment of aged cheeses, ranging from a sharp cheddar to a delicate, creamy brie.

### 2. cliché or sentimental

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

something that is too emotional, unoriginal, or silly.

For teachers: material that is perceived as overly sentimental, cliché, or lacking in artistic depth.

- The movie was full of romantic cheese, but I liked it anyway.
- Despite the high production values, the script was bogged down by pure cheese and predictable plot twists.

### 3. video game exploit

noun · CEFR C1 · Slang

a cheap or easy way to win a game by using a trick.

For teachers: the use of unconventional or low-skill tactics to achieve victory in a video game, often by exploiting specific mechanics.

- He won the match by using a hidden cheese that the other player didn't expect.
- The professional player was criticised for relying on early-game cheese rather than demonstrating superior mechanical skill.

### 5. to win cheaply

verb · CEFR C1 · Slang

to win a game using a trick or a very easy strategy.

For teachers: to defeat an opponent by employing a controversial or unsporting tactic that requires little skill.

- I managed to cheese the final boss by standing in a spot where he couldn't hit me.
- The speedrunner found a way to cheese the entire third level, skipping several difficult encounters entirely.

### 6. to annoy

verb · CEFR B2 · British English · Informal

to make someone angry or annoyed, usually used with 'off'.

For teachers: to irritate or provoke someone to anger; almost exclusively used in the phrasal form 'cheese off'.

- It really cheeses me off when people leave their rubbish on the bus.
- The constant delays in the project schedule have started to cheese off the senior stakeholders.

### 7. photo cue

interjection · CEFR A2

a word people say when they are having their picture taken to make them smile.

For teachers: a conventionalised exclamation used to induce a smiling facial expression for a photograph.

- Everyone look at the camera and say cheese.
- The photographer prompted the wedding party to say cheese in an attempt to capture a more relaxed group portrait.

Usage: Usually shouted by the photographer or the subjects right before the shutter clicks.

## Examples

- I like to put extra cheese on my pizza.
- The waiter offered to grate some fresh parmesan cheese over the pasta dish.
- While some regions are famous for their soft, pungent varieties, others specialise in hard cheeses that are aged for several years to develop a sharper flavour profile.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.