jaw

1
[ jaw ]
See synonyms for jaw on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. either of two bones, the mandible or maxilla, forming the framework of the mouth.

  2. the part of the face covering these bones, the mouth, or the mouth parts collectively: My jaw is swollen.

  1. jaws, anything resembling a pair of jaws or evoking the concept of grasping and holding: the jaws of a gorge; the jaws of death.

  2. Machinery.

    • one of two or more parts, as of a machine, that grasp or hold something: the jaws of a vise.

    • any of two or more protruding parts for attaching to or meshing with similar parts.

  3. Often jaws .Also called throat .Nautical. a forked piece at the end of a gaff, fitting halfway around the mast.

  4. Slang.

    • idle talk; chatter.

    • impertinent talk.

verb (used without object)
  1. Slang.

verb (used with object)
  1. Slang. to scold.

Origin of jaw

1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English jou(e), goue, jovwe, from Old French jo(u)e, jewe; further origin uncertain

Other words from jaw

  • jawless, adjective

Words Nearby jaw

Other definitions for jaw (2 of 2)

jaw2
[ jaw ]

noun
  1. a swelling wave of water; billow.

verb (used without object)
  1. (of liquid) to surge, splash, or dash forward, as in waves.

verb (used with object)
  1. to pour or splash (liquid).

Origin of jaw

2
First recorded in 1505–15; perhaps akin to jaup

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use jaw in a sentence

  • My coup-d'œil assured me that it was practicable to give to this feature the character of a projecting under-jaw.

    Checkmate | Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu
  • He usually seizes his prey by the flank near the hind leg, or by the throat below the jaw.

    Hunting the Lions | R.M. Ballantyne
  • He had had his jaw smashed but I have seen men pull longer faces at breaking a collar stud.

  • He had a long pale face with an indifferent complexion and the common American lantern jaw.

    Ancestors | Gertrude Atherton
  • The constable stared at the cadet for a moment and then his jaw dropped and likewise the club in his hand.

    The Mystery at Putnam Hall | Arthur M. Winfield

British Dictionary definitions for jaw

jaw

/ (dʒɔː) /


noun
  1. the part of the skull of a vertebrate that frames the mouth and holds the teeth. In higher vertebrates it consists of the upper jaw (maxilla) fused to the cranium and the lower jaw (mandible): Related adjectives: gnathal, gnathic

  2. the corresponding part of an invertebrate, esp an insect

  1. a pair or either of a pair of hinged or sliding components of a machine or tool designed to grip an object

  2. slang

    • impudent talk; cheek

    • idle conversation; chat

    • moralizing talk; a lecture

verb
  1. (intr) slang

    • to talk idly; chat; gossip

    • to lecture

Origin of jaw

1
C14: probably from Old French joue cheek; related to Italian gota cheek

Derived forms of jaw

  • jawlike, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for jaw

jaw

[ ]


  1. Either of two bony or cartilaginous structures that in most vertebrate animals form the framework of the mouth, hold the teeth, and are used for biting and chewing food. The lower, movable part of the jaw is the mandible. The upper, fixed part is the maxilla.

  2. Any of various structures of invertebrate animals, such as the pincers of spiders or mites, that function similarly to the jaws of vertebrates.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.