ENGLISH
REFERENCE

jawbone

n.
US //ˈdʒɔˌboʊn// UK //dʒˈɔːbəʊn// jaw·bone Archaic Slang
Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English jawe bone, a partial calque of earlier Middle English chawlbone, chawylbon, chavylbone, chawle boon, chavyl bon (“jaw bone”, literally “chavel bone”), see chavel-bone; equivalent to jaw + bone.

© 2026 English Reference