jaw
|jaw|
/dʒɔː/
lower face part
Etymology
'jaw' originates from Middle English, specifically the word 'jawe', where the form referred to the mouth or cheek area.
'jaw' developed from Middle English 'jawe', influenced by Old Norse words such as 'kjaft' (Scandinavian forms meaning 'jaw, mouth'), and eventually became the modern English word 'jaw'.
Initially, it referred broadly to the mouth or cheek area; over time it narrowed to mean specifically the bony structures forming the mouth and related gripping parts.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
either of the two bony structures that form the framework of the mouth; especially the lower jaw (mandible) or the upper jaw (maxilla).
He broke his jaw in the accident.
Synonyms
Noun 2
the part of a tool or device that grips or holds (the 'jaws' of a clamp, vice, or animal's mouth).
The jaw of the clamp held the pipe firmly.
Synonyms
Verb 1
to talk at length in an informal or idle way; to chat.
They like to jaw about old times over coffee.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/20 13:20