Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1976 (SND Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
CHEESEY, n. A children's game in which a player turns his back to the rest one of whom pokes his back. He has then to guess who touched him and impose a task on him. If he guesses wrongly, he has to perform the task himself. The game ends in hide-and-seek by the toucher (Gsw. 1969 I. & P. Opie Children's Games 157). [So called from a rhyme chanted during the game: “I spread the butter, I spread the cheese.”]
