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Jaw
Definitions
- 1 One of the bones, usually bearing teeth, which form the framework of the mouth.
- 2 A wave, a billow, a breaker. Northern-England, Scotland
"Upo' the briny Borean jaws to float,"
- 3 holding device consisting of one or both of the opposing parts of a tool that close to hold an object wordnet
- 4 The part of the face below the mouth.
"His jaw dropped in amazement."
- 5 A dash or spurt of water; any large quantity of water or other liquid. Northern-England, Scotland
"But sweetly bends the reamin' bicker, To drown dull care in jaws o' liquor."
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- 6 the part of the skull of a vertebrate that frames the mouth and holds the teeth wordnet
- 7 Anything resembling the jaw (sense 1) of an animal in form or action; the mouth or way of entrance. especially, figuratively, in-plural
"the jaws of a pass; the jaws of darkness; the jaws of death."
- 8 the bones of the skull that frame the mouth and serve to open it; the bones that hold the teeth wordnet
- 9 A notch or opening.
- 10 A notched or forked part, adapted for holding an object in place.
"the jaw of a railway-car pedestal."
- 11 One of a pair of opposing parts which are movable towards or from each other, for grasping or crushing anything between them.
"the jaws of a vise; the jaws of a stone-crushing machine."
- 12 The inner end of a boom or gaff, hollowed in a half circle so as to move freely on a mast.
- 13 Impudent, abusive, or worthless talk. dated, slang
"Give me the boy, now, and no more of your jaw. I am going to take the boy home with me."
- 14 An axle guard. slang
- 15 The curved part of the cushion marking the entry to the pocket.
- 1 To assail or abuse by scolding. transitive
"1933, Ethel Lina White, The Spiral Staircase (Some Must Watch), Chapter 4, http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks03/0300931.txt He built the Summit, so as to have no neighbours. And Lady Warren couldn't abide It. She was always jawing him about it, and they had one awful quarrel, in his study."
- 2 To pour or throw out. Scotland, transitive
"Bletherum bore her to the vestry, Jaw'd some water in her face; […]"
- 3 censure severely or angrily wordnet
- 4 To scold; to clamor. intransitive
"[…] he waked him, which put him in a main high passion, and he swore woundily at the lieutenant, and called him lousy Scotch son of a whore […], and swab, and lubber, whereby the lieutenant returned the salute, and they jawed together fore and aft a good spell, till at last the captain turned out, and, laying hold of a rattan, came athwart Mr. Bowling's quarter: whereby he told the captain that, if he was not his commander, he would heave him overboard […]"
- 5 To splash; to surge. Scotland, transitive
"'Twas freezin', thowin', rainin', snawin', In souple turns; While sheughs an' deep fur-drains were jawin' To spate the burns."
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- 6 talk incessantly and tiresomely wordnet
- 7 To talk; to converse. informal, intransitive
"Today the beastly boat is level at last and the sun’s out and we have all been jawing about what to do."
- 8 talk socially without exchanging too much information wordnet
- 9 (of a ball) To stick in the jaws of a pocket. intransitive, transitive
- 10 chew (food); to bite and grind with the teeth wordnet
Etymology
From Middle English jawe/jowe (“jaw; sides of the lower face”, 14th century), the further origin of which is disputed. Either: * From Anglo-Norman jowe, from Old French joe (“cheek; jaw”), from Vulgar Latin *ga(v)ota (“cheek”), of uncertain further origin. ** It has been objected that the rhyming of jowe (“jaw”) with clowe (“claw”) in Middle English demonstrates that it did not have the vowel /uː/. This would be a concern if /uː/ were the vowel to expect from a borrowing of the Old French word, which it is not. Compare English paw < Middle English pawe/powe < Anglo-Norman powe < Old French poe. * From Middle English *chowe, from Old English *ċēowe. The main difficulties with this theory are the notable lack of evidence and the late attestation of chaw (early 16th century). If it is correct, then the further origin would be Proto-West Germanic *keuwā (“jaw”), whence Saterland Frisian Kiuwe, Dutch kieuw, German Keu, Käu. For the initial consonant, compare jowl as a variant of chavel/chawl. It is also conceivable that the word is a merger of two coincidentally similar sources. Gradually displaced Middle English chavel (from Old English ċeafl).
From Middle English jawe/jowe (“jaw; sides of the lower face”, 14th century), the further origin of which is disputed. Either: * From Anglo-Norman jowe, from Old French joe (“cheek; jaw”), from Vulgar Latin *ga(v)ota (“cheek”), of uncertain further origin. ** It has been objected that the rhyming of jowe (“jaw”) with clowe (“claw”) in Middle English demonstrates that it did not have the vowel /uː/. This would be a concern if /uː/ were the vowel to expect from a borrowing of the Old French word, which it is not. Compare English paw < Middle English pawe/powe < Anglo-Norman powe < Old French poe. * From Middle English *chowe, from Old English *ċēowe. The main difficulties with this theory are the notable lack of evidence and the late attestation of chaw (early 16th century). If it is correct, then the further origin would be Proto-West Germanic *keuwā (“jaw”), whence Saterland Frisian Kiuwe, Dutch kieuw, German Keu, Käu. For the initial consonant, compare jowl as a variant of chavel/chawl. It is also conceivable that the word is a merger of two coincidentally similar sources. Gradually displaced Middle English chavel (from Old English ċeafl).
Uncertain. Attested since 1513 (as a verb and noun) in Scots. The DSL speculates that it might be related to Scots (and Northern English dialectal) jall, joll "knock, bump; toll (a bell)" via the notion of knocking "one thing against another, as waves on a rock". The EDD compares Old Norse jaga (“move to and fro”).
Uncertain. Attested since 1513 (as a verb and noun) in Scots. The DSL speculates that it might be related to Scots (and Northern English dialectal) jall, joll "knock, bump; toll (a bell)" via the notion of knocking "one thing against another, as waves on a rock". The EDD compares Old Norse jaga (“move to and fro”).
See also for "jaw"
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