Standard Lemma guide

jaw

noun · verb · 25 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK:
  • UK: /d͡ʒɔː/
  • US:
  • US: /d͡ʒɔ/
  • cot-caught-merger: /d͡ʒɑ/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɔː
  • CMU ARPABET: JH AO1 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

One of the bones, usually bearing teeth, which form the framework of the mouth.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The part of the face below the mouth.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • His jaw dropped in amazement.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

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

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: especially, figuratively, in-plural

Examples

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

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A notch or opening.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

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

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • the jaw of a railway-car pedestal.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

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

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

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

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

The inner end of a boom or gaff, hollowed in a half circle so as to move freely on a mast.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: nautical, transport

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

Impudent, abusive, or worthless talk.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: dated, slang

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

noun

Meaning 9

An axle guard.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: slang

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

noun

Meaning 10

The curved part of the cushion marking the entry to the pocket.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: ball-games, games, hobbies, lifestyle, snooker, sports

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

noun

Meaning 11

A wave, a billow, a breaker.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Northern-England, Scotland

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

noun

Meaning 12

A dash or spurt of water; any large quantity of water or other liquid.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Northern-England, Scotland

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

13

verb

Meaning 13

To assail or abuse by scolding.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • 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.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

14

verb

Meaning 14

To scold; to clamor.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

15

verb

Meaning 15

To talk; to converse.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: informal, intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: chat, discourse, parley, common, confab, confabulate, conversate, converse, convo, jaw, treat, word

Antonyms: none provided

16

verb

Meaning 16

(of a ball) To stick in the jaws of a pocket.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive, transitive

Topics: ball-games, games, hobbies, lifestyle, snooker, sports

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

17

verb

Meaning 17

To pour or throw out.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Scotland, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

18

verb

Meaning 18

To splash; to surge.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Scotland, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

19

noun

Meaning 19

holding device consisting of one or both of the opposing parts of a tool that close to hold an object

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: holding device

20

noun

Meaning 20

the part of the skull of a vertebrate that frames the mouth and holds the teeth

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: bone, os

Narrower terms: lower jaw, mandible, mandibula, mandibular bone, submaxilla, lower jawbone, jawbone, jowl, upper jaw, upper jawbone, maxilla, maxillary, chop

21

noun

Meaning 21

the bones of the skull that frame the mouth and serve to open it; the bones that hold the teeth

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: feature, lineament

22

verb

Meaning 22

censure severely or angrily

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The mother scolded the child for entering a stranger's car
  • The deputy ragged the Prime Minister
  • The customer dressed down the waiter for bringing cold soup

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: call on the carpet, take to task, rebuke, rag, trounce, reproof, lecture, reprimand, dress down, call down, scold, chide, berate, bawl out, remonstrate, chew out, chew up, have words, lambaste, lambast

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: knock, criticize, criticise, pick apart

Narrower terms: chastise, castigate, objurgate, chasten, correct, tell off, brush down

23

verb

Meaning 23

talk incessantly and tiresomely

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: yack, yack away, rattle on, yap away

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: talk, speak, utter, mouth, verbalize, verbalise

24

verb

Meaning 24

talk socially without exchanging too much information

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the men were sitting in the cafe and shooting the breeze

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: chew the fat, shoot the breeze, chat, confabulate, confab, chitchat, chit-chat, chatter, chaffer, natter, gossip, claver, visit

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: converse, discourse

Narrower terms: shmooze, shmoose, schmooze, schmoose, jawbone

25

verb

Meaning 25

chew (food); to bite and grind with the teeth

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • He jawed his bubble gum
  • Chew your food and don't swallow it!
  • The cows were masticating the grass

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: chew, masticate, manducate

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: grate, grind

Narrower terms: chomp, champ, mumble, gum, chaw, crunch, munch, gnaw

History

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. * From Middle English *chowe, from Old English *ċēowe. The main difficulties with this theory are the notable lack of evidence and the late attestation of chaw (early 16th century). If it is correct, then the further origin would be Proto-West Germanic *keuwā (“jaw”), whence Saterland Frisian Kiuwe, Dutch kieuw, German Keu, Käu. For the initial consonant, compare jowl as a variant of chavel/chawl. It is also conceivable that the word is a merger of two coincidentally similar sources. Gradually displaced Middle English chavel (from Old English ċeafl).

Uncertain. Attested since 1513 (as a verb and noun) in Scots. The DSL speculates that it might be related to Scots (and Northern English dialectal) jall, joll "knock, bump; toll (a bell)" via the notion of knocking "one thing against another, as waves on a rock". The EDD compares Old Norse jaga (“move to and fro”).

Across languages

Translations

209 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Abkhaz: ацламҳәа (aclamḥwa) — bone holding the teeth
  • Afrikaans: kaak — bone holding the teeth
  • Albanian: nofull — bone holding the teeth
  • Southern Altai: јаак (ǰaak) — bone holding the teeth
  • Amharic: መንጋጋ (mängaga) — bone holding the teeth
  • Amharic: አገጭ (ʾägäč̣) — bone holding the teeth
  • Western Apache: biyedaa’ — bone holding the teeth
  • Arabic: فَكّ (fakk) — bone holding the teeth
  • Arabic: فَكّ (fakk) — bone holding the teeth
  • Armenian: ծնոտ (cnot) — bone holding the teeth
  • Old Armenian: ծնօտ (cnōt) — bone holding the teeth
  • Aromanian: falcã — bone holding the teeth
  • Aromanian: ciolj — bone holding the teeth
  • Ashkun: ālikërī́k — bone holding the teeth
  • Asturian: caxada — bone holding the teeth
  • Asturian: caxa — bone holding the teeth
  • Asturian: quexal — bone holding the teeth
  • Asturian: quexella — bone holding the teeth
  • Asturian: calláxina — bone holding the teeth
  • Asturian: callasna — bone holding the teeth
  • Asturian: cureña — bone holding the teeth
  • Azerbaijani: çənə — bone holding the teeth
  • Bangi: mobanga — bone holding the teeth
  • Bashkir: яңаҡ (yañaq) — bone holding the teeth
  • Belarusian: скі́віца (skívica) — bone holding the teeth
  • Belarusian: чэ́люсць (čéljuscʹ) — bone holding the teeth
  • Bengali: চোয়াল (cōẇal) — bone holding the teeth
  • Bhojpuri: जबड़ा (jabəṛā) — bone holding the teeth
  • Central Bikol: salang — bone holding the teeth
  • Central Bikol: panga — bone holding the teeth
  • Bulgarian: че́люст (čéljust) — bone holding the teeth
  • Burmese: ပါးချိတ်ရိုး (pa:hkyitrui:) — bone holding the teeth
  • Burmese: မေး (me:) — bone holding the teeth
  • Burmese: ပါးသွယ် (pa:swai) — bone holding the teeth
  • Catalan: mandíbula — bone holding the teeth
  • Catalan: maixella — bone holding the teeth
  • Cebuano: apapangig — bone holding the teeth
  • Cebuano: alungaing (mandible) — bone holding the teeth
  • Chinese Mandarin: 顎 /颚 (è) — bone holding the teeth
  • Chinese Mandarin: 下顎 /下颚 (xià'è) — bone holding the teeth
  • Chinese Mandarin: 頜 /颌 (hé) — bone holding the teeth
  • Coptic: ⲟⲩⲟⲛϫϥ (ouonjf) — bone holding the teeth
  • Czech: čelist — bone holding the teeth
  • Danish: kæbe — bone holding the teeth
  • Dutch: kaak — bone holding the teeth
  • Egyptian: a:r-t:F19 (ꜥrt) — bone holding the teeth
  • Ese: sanoa — bone holding the teeth
  • Esperanto: makzelo — bone holding the teeth
  • Estonian: lõug — bone holding the teeth
  • Estonian: lõualuu — bone holding the teeth
  • Faroese: kjálkabein — bone holding the teeth
  • Faroese: høka — bone holding the teeth
  • Finnish: leukaluu — bone holding the teeth
  • Finnish: leuka — bone holding the teeth
  • French: mâchoire — bone holding the teeth
  • French: mâchoire inférieure — bone holding the teeth
  • French: mâchoire supérieure — bone holding the teeth
  • West-Frisian: kaak — bone holding the teeth
  • West-Frisian: kake — bone holding the teeth
  • West-Frisian: tsjeak — bone holding the teeth
  • Friulian: massele — bone holding the teeth
  • Friulian: mašele — bone holding the teeth
  • Galician: caixal — bone holding the teeth
  • Galician: queixada — bone holding the teeth
  • Galician: marmelo — bone holding the teeth
  • Georgian: ყბა (q̇ba) — bone holding the teeth
  • German: Kiefer — bone holding the teeth
  • German: Unterkiefer — bone holding the teeth
  • German: Oberkiefer — bone holding the teeth
  • German: Kinnbacke — bone holding the teeth
  • Greek: σαγόνι (sagóni) — bone holding the teeth
  • Ancient Greek: σιαγών (siagṓn) — bone holding the teeth
  • Greenlandic: alleroq — bone holding the teeth
  • Haitian Creole: machwè — bone holding the teeth
  • Hawaiian: ā — bone holding the teeth
  • Hebrew: לֶסֶת (léset) — bone holding the teeth
  • Hindi: जबड़ा (jabṛā) — bone holding the teeth
  • Hungarian: állkapocs — bone holding the teeth
  • Icelandic: kjálki — bone holding the teeth
  • Ido: mashelo — bone holding the teeth
  • Indonesian: rahang — bone holding the teeth
  • Irish: giall — bone holding the teeth
  • Irish: mant — bone holding the teeth
  • Italian: mascella — bone holding the teeth
  • Italian: ganascia — bone holding the teeth
  • Japanese: 顎 — bone holding the teeth
  • Javanese: uwang — bone holding the teeth
  • Old Javanese: wĕhaṅ — bone holding the teeth
  • Jeju: ᄐᆞᆨ (tawk) — bone holding the teeth
  • Kaitag: хъянхъяй (qənqəj) — bone holding the teeth
  • Kamviri: ā́këli — bone holding the teeth
  • Kazakh: жақ (jaq) — bone holding the teeth
  • Khmer: ឆ្អឹងថ្គាម (chʼəng thkiəm) — bone holding the teeth
  • Khmer: ថ្គាម (thkiəm) — bone holding the teeth
  • Korean: 턱 (teok) — bone holding the teeth
  • Kyrgyz: жаак (jaak) — bone holding the teeth
  • Lao: ຄາງ (khāng) — bone holding the teeth
  • Lao: ຄາງກະໄຕ (khāng ka tai) — bone holding the teeth
  • Lao: ຫະນຸ (ha nu) — bone holding the teeth
  • Latgalian: žūklis — bone holding the teeth
  • Latin: maxilla — bone holding the teeth
  • Latvian: žoklis — bone holding the teeth
  • Lingala: mbanga — bone holding the teeth
  • Lithuanian: žandikaulis — bone holding the teeth
  • Macedonian: вилица (vilica) — bone holding the teeth
  • Macedonian: челуст (čelust) — bone holding the teeth
  • Malay: rahang — bone holding the teeth
  • Maltese: xedaq — bone holding the teeth
  • Middle English: cheke — bone holding the teeth
  • Mongolian: эрүү (erüü) — bone holding the teeth
  • Khiamniungan Naga: ūotōng — bone holding the teeth
  • Navajo: ayaatsʼiin — bone holding the teeth
  • Southern Ndebele: umhlathi — bone holding the teeth
  • Norman: mâchouaithe — bone holding the teeth
  • Norwegian: kjeve — bone holding the teeth
  • Occitan: maissa — bone holding the teeth
  • Occitan: mandibula — bone holding the teeth
  • Occitan: cais — bone holding the teeth
  • Ojibwe: indaamikan — bone holding the teeth
  • Ossetian: ӕфсӕр (æfsær) — bone holding the teeth
  • Paicî: cérépwä — bone holding the teeth
  • Pashto: زامه (zãma) — bone holding the teeth
  • Persian: آرواره (ârvâre) — bone holding the teeth
  • Persian: فک (fakk) — bone holding the teeth
  • Persian: زفر (zafar) — bone holding the teeth
  • Plautdietsch: Kjeew — bone holding the teeth
  • Polish: żuchwa — bone holding the teeth
  • Polish: szczęka — bone holding the teeth
  • Polish: czeluść — bone holding the teeth
  • Portuguese: mandíbula — bone holding the teeth
  • Prasuni: āgeli — bone holding the teeth
  • Rapa Nui: kaua'e — bone holding the teeth
  • Romanian: mandibulă — bone holding the teeth
  • Romanian: mandibule — bone holding the teeth
  • Romanian: falcă — bone holding the teeth
  • Romanian: maxilar — bone holding the teeth
  • Russian: че́люсть (čéljustʹ) — bone holding the teeth
  • Sardinian: massidda — bone holding the teeth
  • Sardinian: mansidda — bone holding the teeth
  • Sardinian: massidha — bone holding the teeth
  • Sardinian: mansidha — bone holding the teeth
  • Scottish Gaelic: giall — bone holding the teeth
  • Serbo-Croatian: вилица — bone holding the teeth
  • Serbo-Croatian: чељуст — bone holding the teeth
  • Serbo-Croatian: vilica — bone holding the teeth
  • Serbo-Croatian: čeljust — bone holding the teeth
  • Sicilian: mascidda — bone holding the teeth
  • Slovak: čeľusť — bone holding the teeth
  • Slovene: čeljust — bone holding the teeth
  • Lower Sorbian: crjono — bone holding the teeth
  • Spanish: quijada — bone holding the teeth
  • Spanish: mandíbula — bone holding the teeth
  • Spanish: quejada — bone holding the teeth
  • Swahili: utaya — bone holding the teeth
  • Swedish: käke — bone holding the teeth
  • Tagalog: panga — bone holding the teeth
  • Tajik: ҷоғ (joġ) — bone holding the teeth
  • Taos: ȍdénemą — bone holding the teeth
  • Tày: càng — bone holding the teeth
  • Tewa: on — bone holding the teeth
  • Thai: คาง (kaang) — bone holding the teeth
  • Thai: ขากรรไกร (kǎa-gan-grai) — bone holding the teeth
  • Turkish: çene — bone holding the teeth
  • Ottoman Turkish: چكه (çeŋe) — bone holding the teeth
  • Ottoman Turkish: فك (fekk) — bone holding the teeth
  • Ottoman Turkish: اڭك (eŋek) — bone holding the teeth
  • Ottoman Turkish: زنخدان (zenehdân) — bone holding the teeth
  • Turkmen: eňek — bone holding the teeth
  • Turkmen: äň — bone holding the teeth
  • Ukrainian: ще́лепа (ščélepa) — bone holding the teeth
  • Urdu: جبڑا (jabṛā) — bone holding the teeth
  • Uyghur: جاغ (jagh) — bone holding the teeth
  • Uzbek: jag' — bone holding the teeth
  • Venetan: maseła — bone holding the teeth
  • Venetan: masela — bone holding the teeth
  • Vietnamese: hàm — bone holding the teeth
  • Vietnamese: quai hàm — bone holding the teeth
  • Vietnamese: xương hàm — bone holding the teeth
  • Volapük: maxül — bone holding the teeth
  • Volapük: donamaxül — bone holding the teeth
  • Volapük: löpamaxül — bone holding the teeth
  • Waigali: ëlikir — bone holding the teeth
  • Xhosa: umhlathi — bone holding the teeth
  • Yakut: сыҥаах (sïŋaaq) — bone holding the teeth
  • Yoruba: párì-ẹ̀ẹ̀kẹ́ — bone holding the teeth
  • Zhuang: hwk — bone holding the teeth
  • Zulu: umhlathi — bone holding the teeth
  • Bashkir: яңаҡ (yañaq) — bone itself with the teeth and covering
  • Bulgarian: челюст (čeljust) — bone itself with the teeth and covering
  • Finnish: leuka — bone itself with the teeth and covering
  • Georgian: ყბა (q̇ba) — bone itself with the teeth and covering
  • Gothic: 𐌺𐌹𐌽𐌽𐌿𐍃 (kinnus) — bone itself with the teeth and covering
  • Ancient Greek: γνάθος (gnáthos) — bone itself with the teeth and covering
  • Irish: giall — bone itself with the teeth and covering
  • Irish: mant — bone itself with the teeth and covering
  • Ojibwe: indaamikan — bone itself with the teeth and covering
  • Plautdietsch: Kjeew — bone itself with the teeth and covering
  • Russian: че́люсть (čéljustʹ) — bone itself with the teeth and covering
  • Scottish Gaelic: giall — bone itself with the teeth and covering
  • Lower Sorbian: škrjono — bone itself with the teeth and covering
  • Thai: กราม (graam) — bone itself with the teeth and covering
  • Bulgarian: челюст (čeljust) — one of a pair of opposing parts for grasping or crushing anything between them
  • Dutch: bek — one of a pair of opposing parts for grasping or crushing anything between them
  • Finnish: leuka — one of a pair of opposing parts for grasping or crushing anything between them
  • French: mors — one of a pair of opposing parts for grasping or crushing anything between them
  • French: mordache — one of a pair of opposing parts for grasping or crushing anything between them
  • Irish: draid — one of a pair of opposing parts for grasping or crushing anything between them
  • Russian: че́люсть (čéljustʹ) — one of a pair of opposing parts for grasping or crushing anything between them
  • Slovak: čeľusť — one of a pair of opposing parts for grasping or crushing anything between them