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

A fragment of a jawbone found deep underground in a cave in Somerset has rewritten the story of when and how dogs became our best friends.

From BBC

She recovered key anatomical features including teeth, jawbones, and parts of the skull, which later allowed scientists to identify the specimen as a new species.

From Science Daily

Oil dropped on these remarks on Tuesday and equities bounced — even though the president was just jawboning.

From MarketWatch

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

From Los Angeles Times

The jawboning by finance officials appears to have delivered the same result as actually intervening in the market—at least for now.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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