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[cheese] See: BIG CHEESE, WHOLE CHEESE.

[cheesebox]{n.}, {slang} A small, suburban house built by a land developer available at low cost and resembling the other houses around it. •/They moved to a suburb, but their house is just a cheesebox./

[cheesecake]{n.}, {slang}, {informal} A showing of the legs of an attractive woman or a display of her breasts as in certain magazines known as cheesecake magazines. •/Photographer to model: "Give us some cheesecake in that pose!"/

[cherry farm]{n.}, {slang} A correctional institution of minimal security where the inmates, mostly first offenders, work as farmhands. •/Joe got a light sentence and was sent to a cherry farm for six months./

[chest] See: OFF ONE’S CHEST, ON ONE’S CHEST.

[chew] See: BITE OFF MORE THAN ONE CAN CHEW.

[chew out]{v.}, {slang} To scold roughly. •/The boy’s father chewed him out for staying up late./ •/The coach chews out lazy players./ Syn.: BAWL OUT, CALL ON THE CARPET, HAUL OVER THE COALS.

[chew the fat] or [chew the rag] {v. phr.}, {slang} To talk together in an idle, friendly fashion; chat. •/We used to meet after work, and chew the fat over coffee and doughnuts./ •/The old man would chew the rag for hours with anyone who would join him./

[chew the scenery]{v. phr.}, {slang} To act overemotionally in a situation where it is inappropriate; to engage in histrionics. •/I don’t know if Joe was sincere about our house, but he sure chewed up the scenery!/

[chicken] See: COUNT ONE’S CHICKENS BEFORE THEY ARE HATCHED, GO TO BED WITH THE CHICKENS, SPRING CHICKEN.

[chicken-brained]{adj.} Stupid; narrow-minded; unimaginative. •/I can’t understand how a bright woman like Helen can date such a chicken-brained guy as Oliver./

[chicken feed]{n.}, {slang} A very small sum of money. •/John and Bill worked very hard, but they were only paid chicken feed./ •/Mr. Jones is so rich be thinks a thousand dollars is chicken feed./

[chicken-hearted]{adj.} Cowardly; excessively timid. •/"Come on, let’s get on that roller coaster," she cried. "Don’t be so chicken-hearted."/ See: CHICKEN-LIVERED.

[chicken-livered]{adj.}, {slang}, {colloquial} Easily scared; cowardly. •/Joe sure is a chicken-livered guy./ See: CHICKEN-HEARTED.

[chicken out]{v. phr.}, {informal} To stop doing something because of fear; to decide not to do something after all even though previously having decided to try it. •/I used to ride a motorcycle on the highway, but I’ve chickened out./ •/I decided to take flying lessons but just before they started I chickened out./

[chickens come home to roost]{informal} Words or acts come back to cause trouble for a person; something bad you said or did receives punishment; you get the punishment that you deserve. •/Fred’s chickens finally came home to roost today. He was late so often that the teacher made him go to the principal./ — Often used in a short form. •/Mary’s selfishness will come home to roost some day./

[chicken switch]{n.}, {slang}, {Space English} 1. The emergency eject button used by test pilots in fast and high flying aircraft by means of which they can parachute to safety if the engine fails; later adopted by astronauts in space capsules. •/Don’t pull the chicken switch, unless absolutely necessary./ 2. The panic button; a panicky reaction to an unforeseen situation, such as unreasonable or hysterical telephone calls to friends for help. •/Joe pulled the chicken switch on his neighbor when the grease started burning in the kitchen./