1 C1 idiomatic informal
To act impertinently or disrespectfully toward a particular person, often one in authority.
"The boy was sent out of class for cheeking up to his history teacher."
inseparable
cheek up to
C1 informal inseparable transitive
To behave impudently or impertinently toward a specific person, especially someone in authority.
In plain English
To be rude and overly confident directly to someone — usually someone older or more important than you.
What does "cheek up to" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Usage tip
British English, dated and rarely used in contemporary speech. Often used to describe younger people being impertinent to elders or authority figures. Nearly obsolete in modern usage.
Words that pair with "cheek up to"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
teacher parent boss officer elder
How to conjugate "cheek up to"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
cheek up to
I/you/we/they
3rd person
cheeks up to
he/she/it
Past simple
cheeked up to
yesterday
Past participle
cheeked up to
have + pp
-ing form
cheeking up to
continuous
Hear "cheek up to" in the wild
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