cut the cheese

verb

To fart loudly.

“I cannot believe that you cut the cheese at the dinner table!”

Meanings

verbcut the cheese (third-person singular simple present cuts the cheese, present participle cutting the cheese, simple past and past participle cut the cheese)

present singular third person cuts the cheese · participle present cutting the cheese

  1. CanadaUSeuphemisticidiomaticslangTo fart loudly.

    I cannot believe that you cut the cheese at the dinner table!

    1 more example

    You know, did you cut some cheese? Did you fart?

    1991, Hal Shymkus, Nightcrawlers, Bait, and Beer to Go, page 82
  2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see cut, cheese.

    Synonyms: break wind, fart, flatulate, pass gas, trump

Synonyms & antonyms

verbUsed other than figuratively or idiomatically: see cut, cheese.

Origin

This idiom references the foul smell emitted by some cheeses, many of which have a rind that keeps the odor in. Once the rind is pierced, as in the case of slicing it, the smell is released.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

French coupe fromage
  • coupe fromageto flatulate
Polish puszczać bąka, puścić bąka
  • puszczać bąkato flatulate
  • puścić bąkato flatulate
Spanish cortar el queso
  • cortar el quesoto flatulate
Cite this entry
APA

cut the cheese. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cut%20the%20cheese

MLA

“cut the cheese.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cut%20the%20cheese. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cut the cheese,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cut%20the%20cheese.

Source: cut the cheese on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.