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)

, jaw·boned, jaw·bon·ing.

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. See maxilla, mandible
   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 Words From

• jawboning noun adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of jawbone¹

First recorded in 1480–90; jaw ¹ + bone

Example Sentences

Lizard-like features include scales and teeth attached directly to the jawbones.

From Science News For Students

Unlike mammals, reptiles and their close kin have a joint within their lower jawbone, or mandible.

From Science News For Students

This would have left the jawbone flexible, the simulation showed.

From Science News For Students

The skull and face bones, including the jawbone, were still articulated.

From Singularity Hub 

That stiffness stemmed from a boomerang-shaped bit of bone that braced what would have been an otherwise flexible jawbone, a new analysis suggests.

From Science News

Sure, your cubicle mate, neighbor, and aunt all own a Fitbit or JawBone fitness tracker.

From The Daily Beast

Unlike the wrist-only Jawbone Up or Fitbit, the shoelace clip helps it recognize almost any movement.

From The Daily Beast

You wear a FitBit Flex, Jawbone Up, or Nike Fuel Band on your wrist, and go about your normal day.

From The Daily Beast

From my neck to my temples, there is a throbbing soreness on both sides of my face, all radiating from the hinge of my jawbone.

From The Daily Beast

Then, like a twist in a pulp thriller, the jawbone washed up on shore in Aruba.

From The Daily Beast

Think of Samson, who slew a thousand Philistines with the jawbone of an ass!

From Project Gutenberg

I have known rich Jawbone Janes to travel half across the continent to harangue a poor bunch of striking hunyaks.

From Project Gutenberg

Only as the challenged party I have the choice of weapons, and inasmuch as this is a hot day, I choose the jawbone.

From Project Gutenberg

Mr. Lesueur made a drawing of this jawbone, which is deposited in the library.

From Project Gutenberg

The wound in the neck, just beneath the jawbone, was still clasped by the hand of the unconscious man.

From Project Gutenberg