jawbone

American  

[jaw-bohn] / ˈdʒɔˌboʊn /

noun

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

2. the bone of the lower jaw; mandible.

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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 British  

/ ˈdʒɔːˌbəʊn /

noun

1. a nontechnical name for mandible maxilla

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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

Etymology

Origin of jawbone

First recorded in 1480–90; jaw ¹ + bone

Example Sentences

The jawbone was found in excavations from the 1920s in Gough's cave in Cheddar Gorge, now famous for storing its famous cheese.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026

Titanium posts will be inserted into his jawbone, serving as new roots for the teeth.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 23, 2026

The jawbone looked reptilian but had teeth resembling those of dinosaurs.

From Science Daily • Nov. 15, 2025

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.

From BBC • Jul. 7, 2025

It was the jawbone of some enormous reptile.

From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia

Related Words

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