To me when their family etc says this it sounds like the person was actually a disrespectful, annoying and naughty git. The word ‘cheeky’ seems like revisionism, like Jay Slater edited to have angel wings đ Have seen this word so much in this context online
What does it mean when people call someone who died ‘cheeky’?
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Bit of a cunt, but we can’t publish that.
Cheeky lad = an absolute arse
âLoveable rogueâ is the same.
Basically means they were a prick but you canât say that about the dead.
Mischievous.
Mischievous as in will sell drugs and steal from shops.
If they are cheeky, local legend or colourful character – it is code for low level criminal that most people are glad they are dead.
We are all know what they mean.
With living figures you have to be more careful so OP just so you know – if someone is described as “tired and emotional” they are smashed or out of their head on drugs.
It roughly translates to:
âWas an arsehole/involved in crime but we canât speak ill of the deadâ
Cheeky is pretty non-specfic. I’ve always seen it as a bit tongue in cheek and playful but others (reading the other comments) see it as a nice way of saying someone was a bit of an arsehole.
There’s a whole language of obituary euphemisms:
cheeky = rude, offensive, possibly well known to the police.
didn’t suffer fools gladly = arsehole
vivacious = alcoholic
delightfully eccentric = weirdo with an attic full of stuffed cats dressed in 19th Century naval uniforms.
etc.
I lost a ‘cheeky’ fella called Ste and yeah he did occasionally commit criminal acts. He was barely-raised by his mum and had life experiences like being introduced to crack when he was 12 so it was no surprise he succumbed to addiction. He wasn’t violent, he was a big softie who could have a loud mouth. Literally doesn’t seem to matter at all that he might’ve shoplifted the odd thing in retrospect now he’s gone. Feels very nasty reading these responses about everyone being glad they’re dead. RIP bro
In fact I know a bunch more people from my time as a support worker who were ‘cheeky’ too and have now passed. Again people with complex mental health problems and / or very challenging upbringings. RIP to all of them too. The world has less colour without them.
Similar to âpromising footballerâ
Drug dealers getting stabbed by other drug dealers are described as cheeky by their parents when they die.
“He didn’t suffer fools gladly” = he threw a fit if someone was straight with him
“She always spoke her mind” = obnoxious b*tch.
“Lifelong bachelor/she loved her cats” = too insufferable to find a partner.
I’d say ‘cheeky’ probably indicates something like – mildly offensive in a non-actionable manner.
Depends. I think of mischievous in a cute way, funny, charismatic..
The same vibe as people describing their partner as “my rock”. What you’re saying is they’ve had to put up with your shit for years
Big personality – terrifying fecker who you wouldn’t want to cross
Local dickhead.
Either they were actually cheeky (usually for a young child), or they were a twat with multiple charges for antisocial behaviour that the local police will not miss.
Right cunt who went around everywhere with a balaclava.
âHe was no angelâ
Wannabe Gangsta who is now ‘Sleeping wiv da angels’.
Like when you go out for a cheeky nan-dies
Alive = bad lad.
Dead = cheeky, cheeky chappie, wouldn’t hurt a fly, was turning his life around, just settling down after getting in with a bad crowd.
In Jay Slater’s case, there was an “incident with a machete” but he had put that behind him and was turning his life around (see above).
I think it depends on whether theyâre an adult or a child. Itâs vaguely more acceptable for a child to be cheeky â it can be endearing. But for an adult, it generally means they were a petty criminal.
See also “she was a bubbly character” – absolutely nothing interesting to say about this person
Machete welding thug.
Balloon release fodder, usually.
A little prick who kept getting away with being a little prick.
I just really felt the need to add that one of the best people I ever knew was called âcheekyâ and it really was the fact he was a bit cheeky in jokes but the most kind hearted person I ever met.
I miss him and his cheeky nature so much
Mischievous is what cheeky means
It means they were a loveable rogue.
Fell in with the wrong crowd, was such a happy and smiley child.
There’s a questionable family near me who’s daughter died from being in a young lads car whilst he was doing balloons and he crashed, she didn’t survive but he did. Her mum is forever on Facebook screaming about him being a drug driver and he’s scum etc. Understandably of course. However there is quite alot of hypocrisy with that, one her husband drives whilst smoking cannabis, I know this because she’s uploaded photos of them driving and it’s in plain view for everyone to see. And she quite proudly states how her daughter was so cheeky because she is banned from all nail salons in the local area for running away and when she sees her daughters picture on the wall of do not serve, it warms her heart that she made such an impression on the world. So if someone’s cheeky it probably means they aren’t great people imo.
They were potentially harmlessly mischievous
Often it just means ‘young and inexperienced’. Breaks my heart tbh. Hadn’t even been alive long enough to figure out conformity, but had enough pizzaz to be someone who could have trodden a beautiful line. Doesn’t have to mean that, but if they died young, you never know… lots of us are little shits at 16-18+ but some of the ones who might have made it somewhere probably were the ones with spirit.
This is a country where the name of simple bread roll changes every 20 miles.
Good luck getting a clear answer on this one. Never going to happen. Pretty sure you could ask 3 people you know this question and get at least 4 different answers.
If âcheekyâ is the best thing the family can come up with, its safe to say this individual was an insufferable git, locally notorious for theft, bullying, mugging etc. But he was good to his gran, and the cops just picked on him so lets fire up the go fund me for the funeral, the fines, getting the car out of the impound etc etc. And dont forget the balloon release! Helium aint cheap these days, and will need the accompanying fireworks too of course. Just so the deceased and their reprobate family can annoy their neighbours one last time. Rest easy angle
“they had a heart of gold”
My manager described one of our ex-colleagues as a “cheeky chappy”.Â
He wasn’t cheeky, he attacked someone with a baseball bat.
What age was the deceased?
In times gone by a cheeky chappie was a moniker conferred on a smiling playful fellow who might flirt or tease.
The person who was originally given that title was
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Miller_(comedian)
Scumbag waste of oxygen basically, frequents the local maccies and likes to drive his shit car in 2nd gear everywhere so everyone can hear.
Can’t really say the world is better off or his mum has a right sob over little Chesney.
On first name terms with the local bobbies
I’ve heard rude used in a favourable context at a Jamaican funeral for a child. Being rude and cheeky is seen as a good thing in some cultures
Depends a small child would be a little mischievous, but an adult would be probably be a known yo police nuisance or scummy individual but people have an aversion to saying anything bad about the recently deceased even if it’s the truth
It’s often a term of endearment – depends on the context
An irritating, antisocial arse wipe usuallyÂ
Often said about those who raced up and down all night on electric scooters, smoking weed outside the Londis, drinking in the park, involved in lower level crime and antisocial behaviour, joblessÂ
It’s a polite way of saying yob.
Donno but i understand it to mean “impertinent/presumptuous/insolent”, not knowing one’s place in the hierarchy. AmEng might be “nervey”.
I understood it to be from the noun “cheek” as in “I can’t believe he had to nerve/cheek to speak to me in that fashion!”
I don’t understand how that works in this context at all.
Absolute terror but their mum loved em
I specified that any obituary and/ or eulogy of mine should focus entirely on my negative traits with exaggeration encouraged due to my frustration with these euphemismsb
I dunno. Iâm English and I see cheeky as meaning a little naughty but in a charming way.
He had a twinkle in his eye.
No he didnât, he was just a little bastard.
My uncle was described as cheeky when he died. He was married twice, had four kids, worked when he felt like it. Ran a nudist camp, was into porn before the Internet, had repeated affairs, broke promises…etc. Not evil, just selfish.
Scum.
Probably what we will hear about Greg Wallace when he goes.
Sex pest rather than sex attacker.
I genuinely didnât realise how negative a connotation it is, I genuinely assumed it just meant âbit of a character / jokerâ type personality
An insufferable cunt. But we have to try and say something nice as the fella is dead.
Why is everyone in here being so mean, itâs like you canât see any nuance or joy in life
It’s a classic British euphemism for someone who was difficult but charming enough to get away with it. You’re right that it’s a form of revisionism, softening their edges into a more palatable memory. It basically means they were a handful, but we loved them for it.