Phrase guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
adj
Often in the form cheek-by-jowl: in very close physical proximity; crowded together; tightly packed.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: UK, idiomatic
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: packed like sardines
Antonyms: none provided
adv
In very close physical proximity; crowded together; side by side.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: UK, idiomatic
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: alongside, cheek for chowl, elbow to elbow, shoulder-to-shoulder, tooth-to-jowl
Antonyms: none provided
adv
In very close or intimate association.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: UK, figuratively, idiomatic
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adverb
in close proximity
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
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.
Across languages
14 source translations are retained for this English entry.
