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Green’s Dictionary of Slang

cheese v.³

also cheeze

[the photographer’s demand that one ‘say cheese’ to produce a smile]

(orig. UK public school) to smile.

1930		N&Q CLVIII 119/1: Another slang use of the word ‘cheese’ was in vogue at Rugby School... This was with the meaning ‘smile’, both verb and noun.
1940		M. Marples Public School Sl. 40: Cheese [...] to smile or grin (Oundle 1920+).
[1969		A. Buzo Rooted I i: gary Say cheese. bentley Cheese].
1986		Eble Campus Sl. Mar.
1992		R.C. Cruz Straight Outta Compton 12: Yolanda wheled back around and cheesed, playing the nut roll.
1998		Big L ‘Ebonics’ 🎵 Smilin’ is cheesin’.
2002		Teen Lingo: The Source for Youth Ministry 🌐 cheezin v. Smiling. ‘Why you cheezin so big?’.
2012		J. Díaz This Is How You Lose Her 168: I did it, Paloma says, cheesing.