Jehu

[jee-hyoo, -hoo]

noun

1. (in the Bible) a king of Israel noted for his furious chariot attacks.

2. jehu, a fast driver.

3. jehu, the driver of a cab or coach.

Jehu

/ ˈdʒiːhjuː /

noun

1. Old Testament the king of Israel (?842–?815 _bc ); the slayer of Jezebel (II Kings 9:11–30)

2. a fast driver, esp one who is reckless (from the phrase to drive like Jehu . II Kings 9:20)

Word History and Origins

Origin of Jehu¹

First recorded in 1680–90 Jehu for defs. 2, 3; from Hebrew Yēhūʾ “Yah (God) is he,” i.e., “Yahweh is God”

Example Sentences

Illinois Rep. Jehu Baker argued that it was a “disgrace to a free country that the poor and the weak members of society should be denied equal justice and equal protection at the hands of the law.”

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Rick Froberg, the vocalist and guitarist best known for his work with the influential 1990s post-hardcore band Drive Like Jehu, whose urgent howl was one of rock’s most distinctive voices, died on June 30 in San Diego.

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Mr. Reis soon became busy touring with another of his bands, Rocket From the Crypt, and Drive Like Jehu fizzled out after its second album, “Yank Crime.”

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Mr. Froberg and Mr. Reis quickly regrouped in Drive Like Jehu, where Mr. Froberg also began playing guitar, inspired by Sonic Youth’s atonal, unorthodox guitar tunings — which “made it seem like you could just do anything you wanted to do,” Mr. Froberg said in a recent web interview.

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Drive Like Jehu’s two albums featured dissonant, tightly coiled compositions with off-kilter rhythms and cathartic explosions.

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