Adjacent Words

Jaw definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

JAW, n.
1. The bones of the mouth in which the teeth are fixed. They resemble a horse shoe. In most animals, the under jaw only is movable.
2. The mouth.
3. In vulgar language, scolding, wrangling, abusive clamor.
JAW, v.i. To scold; to clamor. [Vulgar.]
JAW, v.t. To abuse by scolding. [Vulgar.]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: the part of the skull of a vertebrate that frames the mouth and holds the teeth
2: the bones of the skull that frame the mouth and serve to open it; the bones that hold the teeth
3: holding device consisting of one or both of the opposing parts of a tool that close to hold an object v
1: talk socially without exchanging too much information; "the men were sitting in the cafe and shooting the breeze" [syn: chew the fat, shoot the breeze, chat, confabulate, confab, chitchat, chit-chat, chatter, chaffer, natter, gossip, jaw, claver, visit]
2: talk incessantly and tiresomely [syn: yack, jaw, yack away, rattle on, yap away]
3: chew (food); to bite and grind with the teeth; "He jawed his bubble gum"; "Chew your food and don't swallow it!"; "The cows were masticating the grass" [syn: chew, masticate, manducate, jaw]
4: censure severely or angrily; "The mother scolded the child for entering a stranger's car"; "The deputy ragged the Prime Minister"; "The customer dressed down the waiter for bringing cold soup" [syn: call on the carpet, take to task, rebuke, rag, trounce, reproof, lecture, reprimand, jaw, dress down, call down, scold, chide, berate, bawl out, remonstrate, chew out, chew up, have words, lambaste, lambast]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English Date: 14th century 1. a. either of two complex cartilaginous or bony structures in most vertebrates that border the mouth, support the soft parts enclosing it, usually bear teeth on their oral margin, and are an upper that is more or less firmly fused with the skull and a lower that is hinged, movable, and articulated with the temporal bone of either side — compare mandible, maxilla b. the parts constituting the walls of the mouth and serving to open and close it — usually used in plural c. any of various organs of invertebrates that perform the function of the vertebrate jaws 2. something resembling the jaw of an animal: as a. one of the sides of a narrow pass or channel b. either of two or more opposable parts that open and close for holding or crushing something between them 3. a. a space lying between or as if between open jaws <escaped from out of the jaws of the whale> b. a position or situation in which one is threatened <rode into the jaws of danger> 4. a friendly chat II. verb Date: 1748 intransitive verb to talk especially abusively, indignantly, or long-windedly <jawing with the referee> transitive verb to talk to in a scolding or boring manner

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. 1 a each of the upper and lower bony structures in vertebrates forming the framework of the mouth and containing the teeth. b the parts of certain invertebrates used for the ingestion of food. 2 a (in pl.) the mouth with its bones and teeth. b the narrow mouth of a valley, channel, etc. c the gripping parts of a tool or machine. d gripping-power (jaws of death). 3 colloq. a talkativeness; tedious talk (hold your jaw). b a sermonizing talk; a lecture. --v. colloq. 1 intr. speak esp. at tedious length. 2 tr. a persuade by talking. b admonish or lecture. Phrases and idioms: jaw-breaker colloq. a word that is very long or hard to pronounce. Etymology: ME f. OF joe cheek, jaw, of uncert. orig.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Jaw Jaw, n. [A modification of chaw, formed under the influence of F. joue the cheek. See Chaw, Chew.] 1. (Anat.) (a) One of the bones, usually bearing teeth, which form the framework of the mouth. (b) Hence, also, the bone itself with the teeth and covering. (c) In the plural, the mouth. 2. Fig.: Anything resembling the jaw of an animal in form or action; esp., pl., the mouth or way of entrance; as, the jaws of a pass; the jaws of darkness; the jaws of death. --Shak. 3. (Mach.) (a) A notch or opening. (b) A notched or forked part, adapted for holding an object in place; as, the jaw of a railway-car pedestal. See Axle guard. (b) One of a pair of opposing parts which are movable towards or from each other, for grasping or crushing anything between them, as, the jaws of a vise, or the jaws of a stone-crushing machine. 4. (Naut.) The inner end of a boom or gaff, hollowed in a half circle so as to move freely on a mast. 5. Impudent or abusive talk. [Slang] --H. Kingsley. Jaw bit (Railroad), a bar across the jaws of a pedestal underneath an axle box. Jaw breaker, a word difficult to pronounce. [Obs.]

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Jaw Jaw, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Jawed; p. pr. & vb. n. Jawing.] To scold; to clamor. [Law]

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Jaw Jaw, v. t. To assail or abuse by scolding. [Law]

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(jaws) 1. Your jaw is the lower part of your face below your mouth. The movement of your jaw is sometimes considered to express a particular emotion. For example, if your jaw drops, you are very surprised. He thought for a moment, stroking his well-defined jaw... N-COUNT: usu sing, poss N 2. A person's or animal's jaws are the two bones in their head which their teeth are attached to. ...a forest rodent with powerful jaws. N-COUNT 3. If you talk about the jaws of something unpleasant such as death or hell, you are referring to a dangerous or unpleasant situation. A family dog rescued a newborn boy from the jaws of death. N-PLURAL: N of n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. 1. Maxillary bone, jaw-bone. 2. (Low.) Vituperation, abusive talk. 3. Wall (of a pass), enclosing crag, throat.

1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue

Speech, discourse. Give us none of your jaw; let us have none of your discourse. A jaw-me-dead; a talkative fellow. Jaw work; a cry used in fairs by the sellers of nuts.

Moby Thesaurus

abuse, babble, bark at, baste, bat the breeze, bazoo, beat the gums, berate, betongue, blab, blabber, blacken, blather, blether, carpet, chaps, chat, chatter, chin, chops, clack, clatter, dither, embouchure, execrate, fulminate against, gab, gabble, gas, gibber, gibble-gabble, go on, gob, gossip, gush, haver, jabber, jaws, jowls, kisser, lip, lips, load with reproaches, mandibles, maw, maxilla, mouth, mug, mush, muzzle, natter, oral cavity, palaver, patter, pour forth, prate, prattle, premaxilla, rag, rail, rail at, ramble on, rate, rattle, rattle on, rave against, reel off, revile, run on, sass, sauce, shoot the breeze, spiel, spout, spout off, talk away, talk nonsense, talk on, thunder against, tittle-tattle, tongue-lash, trap, twaddle, twattle, upbraid, vilify, vituperate, waffle, wig, yak, yakkety-yak, yap, yell at, yelp at