jawbone

[jaw-bohn]

noun

1. a bone of either jaw; a maxilla or mandible.

2. the bone of the lower jaw; mandible.

verb (used with or without object)

jawboned, jawboning 

1. Informal.,  to attempt to influence or pressure by persuasion rather than by the exertion of force or one's authority, as in urging voluntary compliance with economic guidelines.

   The president jawboned the steel industry into postponing price increases.

adjective

1. Informal.,  obtained by or resorting to such a practice.

   jawbone controls.

jawbone

/ ˈdʒɔːˌbəʊn /

noun

1. a nontechnical name for mandible maxilla

verb

1. to try to persuade or bring pressure to bear (on) by virtue of one's high office or position, esp in urging compliance with official policy

Other Word Forms

• jawboning noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of jawbone¹

First recorded in 1480–90; jaw ¹ + bone

Example Sentences

True, the Fed can influence the yield on that longer-dated paper through its current short-term rate policy, economic projections and jawboning.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

"The president's jawboning of the Fed to lower rates I think has had zero impact whatsoever."

Read more on BBC

The tooth, from a cow's jawbone found beside the ancient monument's south entrance in 1924, was analysed by scientists from the British Geological Society, Cardiff University and University College London.

Read more on BBC

The jawbone of the ancient reptile was unearthed in Arizona back in 2011, but modern scanning techniques have now revealed details showing that it belongs to a species new to science.

Read more on BBC

Could American CEOs have headed off the tariffs chaos either by a more focused publicity campaign or more jawboning with Trump?

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• admonish 
• berate 
• castigate 
• censure 
• chide 
• go after 
• oppose 
• reprimand 
• reproach 
• scold 
• upbraid