cheese and rice
- idiom
- Informal
:
¡caramba!
- When he dropped his phone, he yelled, "cheese and rice!"
Examples
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Oh, cheese and rice! I can't believe that happened.
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Did you just say that? Cheese and rice!
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Cheese and rice, I can't believe how much this car repair will cost!
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Cheese and rice, that was a close call on the freeway.
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Cheese and rice, I can't believe how much this car repair will cost!
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Cheese and rice, that was a close call on the freeway.
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Oh, cheese and rice! I can't believe that happened.
Synonyms
26
9.9
A strong phrase people say when they are very surprised or shocked
8
7.6
A short phrase people say to show surprise or disbelief
3
9.6
To say when you are very surprised or shocked
1
9.9
A short old word people say to show surprise or strong feeling
1
9.9
An old Irish word said to show surprise or strong feeling
A short cry showing surprise or shock
Words people say to show very strong surprise or shock
A shout people say when they are very surprised or do not believe something
A short shocked cry showing disbelief about something ridiculous
A word people say to show strong surprise
To show surprise or doubt
A short shout that shows surprise or shock
A short angry or surprised shout used instead of a rude word
A short old Irish phrase people say to show surprise or strong feeling
Surface Forms
Morphology
cheese + and + rice
This phrase is a minced oath (a euphemistic substitute for 'Jesus Christ') whose exclamatory meaning comes from convention, not from the literal meanings of 'cheese', 'and', and 'rice'. A B1 learner knowing the constituent words would not be able to derive its idiomatic use as an expression of surprise or frustration without cultural exposure.
Etymology
Cheese and rice is a playful change of the name 'Jesus Christ'. People chose safe words like cheese and rice because they sound a little like it, so the phrase shows surprise or frustration without using a strong swear.