big cheese
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
(Slang). The boss, or person of importance.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “big cheese” mean?
(Slang). The boss, or person of importance.
Is “big cheese” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.