# jive

/ˈdʒaɪv/ (US) · /dʒˈaɪv/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/jive
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. a dance style

noun · CEFR B2

a fast and energetic style of dancing that was very popular in the 1940s and 1950s.

For teachers: a lively style of dance performed to swing or early rock and roll music, characterized by fast footwork and rhythmic syncopation.

- The couple performed a perfect jive during the ballroom dancing competition.
- Although the jive originated in the United States, it became a staple of international ballroom competitions due to its high-energy athletic requirements.

### 2. nonsense or lies

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal · American English · Slang

talk that is intended to deceive someone or is simply nonsense.

For teachers: deceptive, exaggerated, or nonsensical talk. Often used to describe speech that sounds impressive but lacks substance or honesty.

- Don't give me all that jive; just tell me the truth about what happened.
- The politician's speech was dismissed by critics as mere jive, designed to distract the public from the actual economic figures.

### 3. to dance

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to dance the jive or to move rhythmically to jazz or rock music.

For teachers: to perform the jive or a similar rhythmic dance, typically to swing, jazz, or early rock and roll.

- We spent the whole night jiving to the live band at the club.
- The crowded floor was filled with teenagers jiving to the latest rhythm and blues records until the early hours of the morning.

### 4. to deceive

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal · American English · Slang

to talk to someone in a way that is not honest or to try to trick them.

For teachers: to engage in deceptive or misleading talk; to attempt to fool someone through exaggerated or false claims.

- Stop jiving me and tell me where you really were last night.
- He tried to jive his way out of the ticket, but the officer wasn't interested in his elaborate excuses.

### 5. to agree or match

verb · CEFR C1 · American English · Informal

to match or agree with something else.

For teachers: to be in accord or agreement with something. Often used as a variant of 'jibe'.

- His explanation of the accident doesn't jive with what the witnesses saw.
- The accountant noticed that the reported expenses didn't jive with the actual receipts provided by the department head.

## Examples

- The band played a fast song and everyone started to jive.
- He tried to explain why he was late, but his boss knew it was just a bunch of jive.
- While the dancers performed a flawless jive to the upbeat swing music, the older generation in the corner dismissed the new youth culture as nothing more than loud noise and jive.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.