jaw

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   The part of the face below the mouth.

   His jaw dropped in amazement.

2. 2
   noun

   Anything resembling the jaw (sense 1) of an animal in form or action; the mouth or way of entrance.

   the jaws of a pass; the jaws of darkness; the jaws of death.

3. 3
   noun

   A notched or forked part, adapted for holding an object in place.

   the jaw of a railway-car pedestal.

4. 4
   noun

   One of a pair of opposing parts which are movable towards or from each other, for grasping or crushing anything between them.

   the jaws of a vise; the jaws of a stone-crushing machine.

5. 5
   noun

   Impudent, abusive, or worthless talk.

   Give me the boy, now, and no more of your jaw. I am going to take the boy home with me.

6. 6
   verb

   To assail or abuse by scolding.

   1933, Ethel Lina White, The Spiral Staircase (Some Must Watch), Chapter 4, http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks03/0300931.txt He built the Summit, so as to have no neighbours. And Lady Warren couldn't abide It. She was always jawing him about it, and they had one awful quarrel, in his study.

7. 7
   verb

   To scold; to clamor.

   […] he waked him, which put him in a main high passion, and he swore woundily at the lieutenant, and called him lousy Scotch son of a whore […], and swab, and lubber, whereby the lieutenant returned the salute, and they jawed together fore and aft a good spell, till at last the captain turned out, and, laying hold of a rattan, came athwart Mr. Bowling's quarter: whereby he told the captain that, if he was not his commander, he would heave him overboard […]

8. 8
   verb

   To talk; to converse.

   Today the beastly boat is level at last and the sun’s out and we have all been jawing about what to do.

Etymology

From Middle English jawe/jowe (“jaw; sides of the lower face”, 14th century), the further origin of which is disputed. Either: * From Anglo-Norman jowe, from Old French joe (“cheek; jaw”), from Vulgar Latin *ga(v)ota (“cheek”), of uncertain further origin. ** It has been objected that the rhyming of jowe (“jaw”) with clowe (“claw”) in Middle English demonstrates that it did not have the vowel /uː/. This would be a concern if /uː/ were the vowel to expect from a borrowing of the Old French word, which it is not. Compare English paw < Middle English pawe/powe < Anglo-Norman powe < Old French poe…