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You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.You should upgrade or use an alternative browser. cut the cheese

• Thread starter Thread starter roxy_gurl
• Start date Start date Mar 30, 2005

R

roxy_gurl

Senior Member

canada, english i dont get it. What is with the saying who cut the cheese, i mean who came up with it? I think it is a dumb thing to say, i mean why cant you say cut the apple then? Just voicing my opinion J

JennR

Senior Member

New Hampshire US English I don't know who came up with it, but if you match the term flatulence and compare it to one of your more strong, and sometimes offensive smelling cheeses, it makes a little more sense. I have had the opportunity to try a very expensive and very proper brie, I can attest to the potent fragrance of this cheese and can quite readily make the association. An apple doesn't stink unless it is rotting, and even then, it tends to have a sweet decayed aroma.

VenusEnvy

Senior Member

Maryland, USA English, United States Check this out: "Cut" has been used in this manner, in various phrases, since the late 1800s. "Cut the cheese" appeared either in the 1950s or between 1965-70, depending on who you want to believe. : CUT THE CHEESE -- Since the late 1800s "cut" in various phrases meant "to expel intestinal gas." 1899 - To cut one's finger, is to break wind. "Cut the cheese" is placed in 1965-70 by this source. "Dictionary of American Regional English," Volume 1 by Frederic G. Cassidy (1985, Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass., and London, England). Another reference says the phrase "cut the cheese" was used earlier but with a different meaning: 1895 Gore, Student Slang, 17: Cut no cheese. To have no weight or value. From "Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang, Volume 1, A-G" by J.E. Lighter, Random House, New York, 1994. A third source says the expression originated in the "Mainstream 1950s." From "Flappers 2 Rappers: American Youth Slang" by Tom Dalzell (Merriam-Webster Inc., Springfield, Md., 1996). Just for completeness, it must derive from the fact that the rind on some cheese reduces the odour, so that brie or suchlike, once cut is much smellier. When I was in a student house, we had a cheese that had been going cheap and smelt so such we kept it in a tuppaware box - you most definitely could have used 'opened the cheese box' as a metaphor for farting. Source

Edwin

Senior Member

Tampa, Florida, USA USA / Native Language: English

VenusEnvy said: Cut no cheese. To have no weight or value. From "Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang, Volume 1, A-G" by J.E. Lighter, Random House, New York, 1994. Click to expand...

Never heard, ''cut no cheese'' in the sense of has no value. But the expression, ''that doesn't cut any ice with me'' is pretty common for that's not important or that doesn't impress me or that doesn't get the job done. M

martinkunev

New Member

Bulgarian I just found out that the phrase "cut the cheese" has the meaning "to fart". IHow can I say that I'm literally cutting cheese and avoid this connotation? G

Gavril

Senior Member

English, USA

martinkunev said: I just found out that the phrase "cut the cheese" has the meaning "to fart". IHow can I say that I'm literally cutting cheese and avoid this connotation? Click to expand...

I can't speak for the UK/Australia/etc., but I don't think this meaning of "cut cheese" is very common in the United States. Therefore, there is not much risk of this misunderstanding when you are talking to US speakers.

Loob

Senior Member

English UK This BrE-speaker hasn't come across that meaning either. Where did you find it?

lingobingo

Senior Member

London English - England Nor has this one. G

Glenfarclas

Senior Member

Chicago English (American)

martinkunev said: I just found out that the phrase "cut the cheese" has the meaning "to fart". Click to expand...

Yes, it's a slang expression.

martinkunev said: How can I say that I'm literally cutting cheese and avoid this connotation? Click to expand...

If you are worried that people will snicker, just avoid the three consecutive words "cut the cheese." "Cut some cheese" and "dice the cheese," for example, don't carry any such connotations.

Andygc

Senior Member

Devon British English "Cut the cheese" to me means "cut the cheese". To me it has never, and will never, mean "fart". "Will you cut the cheese?" I cannot believe that, if you were sitting or standing looking at a lump of cheese and a knife, anybody could possibly think that you meant "Will you fart?"

sound shift

Senior Member

Derby (central England) English - England Never heard of it. It doesn't cut the mustard with me.

heypresto

Senior Member

South East England English - England I'll just cut in here to say that, to cut a long story short and cut to the chase, I've never heard of it either.

Copyright

Member Emeritus

Penang American English I've definitely heard of it, and heard it in use. From The Phrase Finder's message board: cut the cheese: : : : Does anyone know the origin of 'cut the cheese' or 'who cut the cheese?' : "Cut" has been used in this manner, in various phrases, since the late 1800s. "Cut the cheese" appeared either in the 1950s or between 1965-70, depending on who you want to believe. More on that link. R

Rover_KE

Senior Member

Northwest England - near Blackburn, Lancashire British English For years I've been watching and re-watching episodes of Two and a Half Men, including the one where Charlie sings a song he wrote to entertain children called 'Who Cut the Cheese?' Up to now I never understood why each repetition of the question was followed by Charlie blowing a raspberry. Now I know.

suzi br

Senior Member

Gwynedd English / England

martinkunev said: I just found out that the phrase "cut the cheese" has the meaning "to fart". IHow can I say that I'm literally cutting cheese and avoid this connotation? Click to expand...

Just say it. Unless you are surrounded by muppets who like to seek double entendres in every utterance no-one will think twice about this innocent phrasing. I did, once, know someone who DID manage to snicker at some innuendo in almost every sentence anyone around her ever uttered. It was supremely tedious and stopped me saying anything at all in her company. Luckily she is a rare bird.

Trochfa

Senior Member

UK English - England

Rover_KE said: For years I've been watching and re-watching episodes of Two and a Half Men, including the one where Charlie sings a song he wrote to entertain children called 'Who Cut the Cheese?' Up to now I never understood why each repetition of the question was followed by Charlie blowing a raspberry. Now I know. Click to expand...

Thanks for explaining Rover. I've seen that episode a couple of times before and never understood that bit. This is the first time I've ever heard the expression.

suzi br said: Just say it. Unless you are surrounded by muppets who like to seek double entendres in every utterance no-one will think twice about this innocent phrasing. Click to expand...

If I heard someone say "cut the cheese" I would automatically just assume they were telling someone to "stop being corny", even if someone had just farted I wouldn't immediately connect the smell and the phrase. Anyway, I've never smelt a fart that smells like cheese. [Not that I'm a connoisseur you understand!] However, I've known plenty of people with whiffy feet that definitely fit the bill!

sdgraham

Senior Member

Oregon, USA USA English

Trochfa said: Anyway, I've never smelt a fart that smells like cheese. [Not that I'm a connoisseur you understand!] However, I've known plenty of people with whiffy feet that definitely fit the bill! Click to expand...

Although smelly cheeses are not appreciated by everybody, there are enough delicious stinkers out there, to have given rise to the metaphor (so to speak ) 17 top stinky cheeses

Trochfa

Senior Member

UK English - England

sdgraham said: there are enough delicious stinkers out there, to have given rise to the metaphor Click to expand...

They certainly can smell/stink! A

ain'ttranslationfun?

Senior Member

US English I have often heard the phrase "cut the cheese" to mean "expel intestinal gases". If someone detects such an odor, they might say "Who cut the cheese?"

Edwin said: (...)the expression, ''that doesn't cut any ice with me'' is pretty common for that's not important or that doesn't impress me or that doesn't get the job done. Click to expand...

I agree with the first two (although I'd add "with me" in the second), but for me "that doesn't get the job done" would be more likely to be expressed by

sound shift said: It doesn't cut the mustard with me. Click to expand...

"to cut the mustard" = "to measure up", to be up to the mark", "to make the grade". You must log in or register to reply here. Share: Bluesky LinkedIn WhatsApp Email Share Link

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