Meanings
-
1
noun
a professional rider who competes in horse races
The jockey guided the horse through a narrow opening near the rail.
-
2
verb
to maneuver carefully or competitively in order to gain a favorable position or advantage
Several candidates jockeyed for influence before the leadership vote.
-
3
verb
to handle, operate, or move something skillfully, especially a vehicle or machine
The driver jockeyed the truck into the crowded loading bay.
Thesaurus
Etymology
A diminutive of Jock, a Scots form of John once used generically for a boy or fellow. It was applied to horse dealers and riders, some stereotyped as cunning, which produced the racing noun and the verb senses of maneuvering or outwitting.