cheek up

English

Etymology

See cheek (“impudence, impertinence”).

Verb

cheek up (third-person singular simple present cheeks up, present participle cheeking up, simple past and past participle cheeked up)

1. (transitive, informal) To act disrespectfully toward (someone).

   Synonym: cheek up to

   • 2015 02, Yvalanna Gregory, Marjie - The true story of an Edwardian girl, ShieldCrest, →ISBN, page 19:

     An 'uncle' later offered the young Horatio a position in his solicitor's practice but the stupid boy cheeked up his employer instead of apologizing after making a mistake and informed him that, 'To err is human, but to forgive is divine'.

   • 2016 April 5, Ralph Spurrier, A Coin for the Hangman, Bookline & Thinker, →ISBN:

     He hesitated for a moment before continuing, “But Reg was too cocky, way too cocky for his own good, and the way he cheeked up the governor on that morning before the execution only served to dig his own grave, as it were.