cheek by jowl
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cheek by jowl
- /ˌt͡ʃiːk baɪ ˈd͡ʒaʊl/ UK
- /ˌt͡ʃik baɪ ˈd͡ʒaʊl/ US
Rhymes with -aʊl
Where it comes from
From cheek + by + jowl (“cheek; jaw”) (or possibly jowl (“fold of fatty flesh under the chin, around the cheeks, or lower jaw; cheek”) or jowl (“(obsolete) head”)), suggesting people so close to each other that the cheek of one person is next to the jowl of another.
adverb more cheek by jowl · most cheek by jowl
-
In very close physical proximity; crowded together; side by side.
Ile go vvith thee, cheeke by iovvle.
Similar: alongside, cheek for chowl, elbow to elbow, shoulder-to-shoulder, tooth-to-jowl
- In very close or intimate association. [B]ooks have a way of influencing each other. Fiction will be much the better for standing cheek by jowl with poetry and philosophy.
adjective more cheek by jowl · most cheek by jowl · cheek-by-jowl · cheek-to-jowl · cheek to jowl
-
Often in the form cheek-by-jowl: in very close physical proximity; crowded together; tightly packed.
And 'tvvas not long, before ſhe found / Him, and his ſtout Squire, in the Pound; / Both coupled in Inchanted Tether, / By further leg behind together: / For as he ſate upon his Rump, / His head like one in doleful dump, / Betvveen his knees, his hands appli'd / Unto his ears on either ſide. / And by
Similar: packed like sardines
Translations
Every language
adv in very close physical proximity — see also side by side
| Français | botte à botte, côte à côte |
|---|
adj in very close physical proximity
| Français | côte à côte, joue contre joue |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | auf Tuchfühlung, dicht beieinander |
Talk about this word "cheek by jowl." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/cheek%20by%20jowl. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. cheek by jowl. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/cheek%20by%20jowl "cheek by jowl." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/cheek%20by%20jowl.Cite this
@misc{cheek_by_jowl_2026,
title = {cheek by jowl},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/cheek%20by%20jowl},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
