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What is the origin of the phrase "cheesed off?"

Question #142771. Asked by elvislennon.
Last updated May 14 2021.
Originally posted Jul 07 2016 10:02 PM.

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looney_tunes star
Answer has 3 votes
Currently Best Answer
looney_tunes star
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3289 replies avatar

Answer has 3 votes.

Currently voted the best answer.
No definitive answers readily found, but a lot of speculation or "origins unsure", including the all-knowing OED.
link http://culturecheesemag.com/blog/talking-cheese-cheesed-off

The best suggestion I found was:
Cheesed off - bored, disgruntled, disgusted
The earlier expression 'browned off', which meant the same, was RAF slang originally used of metalwork that had become rusty; it was later applied figuratively to human degeneration. Cheesed off may be an elaboration of this, in reference to the browning of cheese when cooked, or a quite different allusion to the sourness associated with cheese going bad.
link https://guernseydonkey.com/origin-of-some-popular-english-idioms-iii


Response last updated by gtho4 on May 14 2021.
Jul 07 2016, 11:10 PM
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