Posted by Jeremy Kriewaldt on March 24, 2006 at 20:14:40 from 147.10.214.189 user JeremyKriewaldt.
In Reply to: Ransome expressions, but across the pond...? posted by Ed Kiser on March 24, 2006 at 18:18:36:
Sometimes to say someone has cheek means they have a certain amount of daring, perhaps foolish endangerment. It could mean to have audacity.
I think that this is an occasion where Ed may have slipped (like Homer nodding).
I feel even where outrage or offence is not conveyed by describing some conduct as "cheek", there is a pejorative connotation in the word. In all of the quotes that Ed has provided there is an element of criticism by the person saying that the conduct is "cheek", even if in some cases the criticism is sometimes mixed with grudging admiration.
The basic and continuing element in the word in this usage is that the conduct described as "cheek" is disrespectful of either others (who usually see themselves as betters) or good sense or other social norms.
I think that the daring has to be foolish (outraging good sense) or the audacity closer to rashness, before it can be called, or AR would have described it as, "cheek".