cheese cutter: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Everyday, Informal, Culinary (Technical for the tool).
Quick answer
What does “cheese cutter” mean?
A tool or device designed for slicing cheese.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A tool or device designed for slicing cheese.
A tool with a wire or blade, often mounted on a board or frame, used to cut slices of cheese from a larger block. It can also refer colloquially to a specific type of bicycle accident where the rider is thrown over the handlebars.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term for the kitchen tool is identical. The informal 'bicycle accident' meaning is more commonly referenced in British and Commonwealth English.
Connotations
Neutral for the tool. The accident meaning carries connotations of a specific, often humorous or embarrassing, mishap.
Frequency
The culinary term is of moderate frequency in both regions. The accident slang is low-frequency and predominantly British.
Grammar
How to Use “cheese cutter” in a Sentence
NP use NP (cheese cutter) to VPNP cut NP (cheese) with NP (cheese cutter)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cheese cutter” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He cheesecuttered his way through the Stilton. (informal, non-standard, derived from noun)
American English
- (Verb form is exceptionally rare; 'slice' is used instead.)
adjective
British English
- He took a cheese-cutter tumble off his bike. (informal, attributive use of noun)
American English
- The cheese-cutter wire snapped. (hyphenated compound adjective)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in retail or manufacturing related to kitchenware.
Academic
Very rare; only in specific historical or design contexts.
Everyday
Common in domestic and culinary contexts.
Technical
Used in culinary arts and kitchen equipment specifications.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “cheese cutter”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “cheese cutter”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cheese cutter”
- Using 'cheese knife' interchangeably for all types (a knife is different from a wire cutter).
- Spelling as a single word 'cheesecutter' (should be two words or hyphenated).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is most commonly written as two separate words ('cheese cutter'). It can sometimes be hyphenated ('cheese-cutter'), especially when used as an adjective.
They are largely synonymous. However, 'cheese slicer' can be a broader term, while 'cheese cutter' often implies a tool with a taut wire, sometimes mounted on a hinged frame.
No, it is informal, colloquial, and primarily used in the UK and some Commonwealth countries. It is not a standard or widely known term in everyday American English.
In British English: /ˈtʃiːz ˌkʌtə(r)/. In American English: /ˈtʃiz ˌkʌtər/. The stress is on 'cheese', with a secondary stress on 'cut'.
A tool or device designed for slicing cheese.
Cheese cutter is usually everyday, informal, culinary (technical for the tool). in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To do a cheese cutter (slang, UK: to fall over bicycle handlebars)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'cheese' being 'cut' by a wire - the image of the wire slicing through soft cheese is the core function of a cheese cutter.
Conceptual Metaphor
A TOOL IS AN EXTENSION OF THE HAND (it performs a precise cutting action the hand cannot).
Practice
Quiz
In British informal slang, what is a 'cheese cutter'?