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Elite Edition

What is the expression big cheese?

Author

Owen Barnes

Published Mar 31, 2026

What is the expression big cheese?

an important person in a company or an organization with a lot of influence: He left business school and became a big cheese in the City.

Who was known as The Big Cheese?

Some speculate that the expression was in reference to the 561 kg (1,235 pound) Mammoth Cheese given to Thomas Jefferson in 1802 during his presidency, but this seems unlikely. Certainly if this was the case, one would think the expression would have become popular much sooner than it did.

Where was the big cheese?

Located in the dairying village of Bodalla, New South Wales, Australia, the Big Cheese serves as a monument to the Bodalla label that can be found all over the country.

How do you use big cheese in a sentence?

Example Sentences

  1. The guy is among the big cheeses in the region and his word rules.
  2. I am not the big cheese and understand why you went to him to get your work done.
  3. Ever since his promotion, he has started to feel that he is the big cheese in the company.

What does Big House mean in 1920s slang?

Behind the eight ball: In a difficult position, in a tight spot. Bent Cars: Stolen cars. Big Cheese, Big Shot – The boss: Someone of importance and influence. Big House: Jail. Big One: Death.

Why do you say big cheese?

The idiomatic phrase big cheese comes from a definition of cheese that comes from Urdu, in which chiz means “a thing.” The British colonization of India brought English speakers and Urdu speakers together, and one result was the phrase “the real chiz” to mean “a big thing or event.” This evolved over time into big …

Why do we say hard cheese?

This phrase is of British origin and was used since the early 19th century. The literal meaning of hard cheese refers to old, stale and indigestible cheese, which is obviously unpleasant. So the idiomatic expression derives from this as an allusion to undesirable events.

What is cheese slang for?

CHEESE means “Drug, starter heroin” or “Money” So now you know – CHEESE means “Drug, starter heroin” or “Money” – don’t thank us. YW! What does CHEESE mean? CHEESE is an acronym, abbreviation or slang word that is explained above where the CHEESE definition is given.

What did they call money in the 1920s?

Mazuma: Cash, money, cheddar, greenbacks, what have you. Don’t take any wooden nickels: If you want to tell a friend to not doing anything stupid, but if you want to do it in a cool, 1920s slang way, tell them not to take any wooden nickels.

What does the phrase ” the Big Cheese ” mean?

The Big Cheese Meaning. Definition: An important person. The big cheese describes any person in a position of importance. Most often, it is used to describe a boss at work. Not just any boss could be the big cheese—a middle manager would not have enough leadership clout. This phrase is reserved for the top executives in an organization.

Who is the Big Cheese in the workplace?

Definition: An important person. The big cheese describes any person in a position of importance. Most often, it is used to describe a boss at work. Not just any boss could be the big cheese—a middle manager would not have enough leadership clout.

What does the Big Cheese mean in Urdu?

In Urdu, the word chiz means a thing. When the British colonized India, they began to use the phrase the real chiz. This meant that something was a big, exciting event. Over time, the phrase evolved into the big cheese, meaning an important person.

Who is the Big Cheese in New Zealand?

2. New zealands Best Desert combat BF exponent Big Cheese spelt I3igCheese Godlike omnipotent righteous mofo Get the bigcheese neck gaiter and mug. Person who works within 4 glass walls, mostly in charge of managing the mucky mucks.

What does Big Cheese mean in slang?

A The big cheese is the most influential or important person in a group, though it has often been used in a derogatory way to refer to somebody self-important. These days, it’s more than likely to appear as a joking reference to a real cheese, since its slang use is rare and definitely outdated.

What is Big Cheese?

A big cheese is a boss or other senior person, particularly in an organization. Big Cheese or The Big Cheese may also refer to: Big Cheese (magazine), an independent music magazine published in the United Kingdom.

What is the plural of Big Cheese?

The plural form of big cheese is big cheeses.