jawbone

Noun · Verb
US[jaw-bohn]/ˈdʒɔˌboʊn/2 syllables

Open English WordNet

Verb (1)jawboned, jawboning

  1. talk idly or casually and in a friendly waySynonyms: shmoozeshmooseschmoozeschmooseMore general chew the fat, shoot the breeze
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Webster's Dictionary (1913)

Jaw′bone′ noun

The bone of either jaw; a maxilla or a mandible.


jaw′bone′ (ja̤′bōn′), transitive & intransitive verb [past tense & past participle jawboned (ja̤′bōnd′); present participle & verbal noun jawboning.]

To attempt to influence solely by talking, as contrasted with threatening or inducing by other means, e.g. legislation; esp. to make public appeals in order to influence the behavior of businessmen or labor leaders; — used especially of the President or other high government officials; as, to jawbone businessmen into forgoing price increases.

— jaw′wb-a1′>′bon·ing, noun

Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54 · with additions: GCIDE editors

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