CHEEKS, in Ship-building, are two pieces of timber, fitted on each side of the mast at the top, serving to strengthen the masts there. The uppermost bail or piece of timber in the beak of a ship is called
the cheek. The knees which fasten the beak head to the ship are called cheeks; and the sides of any block, or the sides of a ship's carriage of a gun, are also called cheeks.