jaw
1either of two bones, the mandible or maxilla, forming the framework of the mouth.
the part of the face covering these bones, the mouth, or the mouth parts collectively: My jaw is swollen.
jaws, anything resembling a pair of jaws or evoking the concept of grasping and holding: the jaws of a gorge; the jaws of death.
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.
Often jaws .Also called throat .Nautical. a forked piece at the end of a gaff, fitting halfway around the mast.
Slang.
idle talk; chatter.
impertinent talk.
Slang. to scold.
Origin of jaw
1Other words from jaw
- jawless, adjective
Other definitions for jaw (2 of 2)
a swelling wave of water; billow.
(of liquid) to surge, splash, or dash forward, as in waves.
to pour or splash (liquid).
Origin of jaw
2Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use jaw in a sentence
There was considerable jawing back, so I slid out, thinking maybe there was going to be trouble.
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Complete | Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)Reciting the pilot rules and jawing because the big fellows slam along without observing them.
Blow The Man Down | Holman DayAnd, sorra one of you doubt it, if Mounseer comes jawing here, it's in the peat-hole he'll find himself!
The Wild Geese | Stanley John WeymanI am no more conscious of "jawing" than "jabbering," and if that is how I am to be spoken to——!
The Travelling Companions | F. AnsteyIf you start off jawing again, I'll shoot right in your stomach.
Twelve Stories and a Dream | H. G. Wells
British Dictionary definitions for jaw
/ (dʒɔː) /
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
the corresponding part of an invertebrate, esp an insect
a pair or either of a pair of hinged or sliding components of a machine or tool designed to grip an object
slang
impudent talk; cheek
idle conversation; chat
moralizing talk; a lecture
(intr) slang
to talk idly; chat; gossip
to lecture
Origin of jaw
1- See also jaws
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
[ jô ]
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.
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.
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