cheek by jowl
UK /ˌt͡ʃiːk baɪ ˈd͡ʒaʊl/ · US /ˌt͡ʃik baɪ ˈd͡ʒaʊl/ adverb, adjective
Forms cheek-by-jowl cheek-to-jowl cheek to jowl
- adverb In very close physical proximity; crowded together; side by side.
- adverb (figurative) In very close or intimate association.
- adjective (chiefly UK, idiomatic) Often in the form cheek-by-jowl: in very close physical proximity; crowded together; tightly packed.
Synonyms
alongside cheek for chowl elbow to elbow shoulder-to-shoulder tooth-to-jowl packed like sardines
Etymology
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.
Sources: Wiktionary — from the Wiktionary entry “cheek by jowl”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details