Word
jockey
Phoneticsjock·ey, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈdʒɑki/
UK/dʒˈɒki/
Definitions
01horse rider
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Sports
n. a person who rides horses in professional races as a job.
n. a professional rider of racehorses, typically small and light in stature.
“The jockey wore bright green and yellow silks so the owner could see him during the race.”
“After the final jump, the jockey urged the horse forward, securing a narrow victory in the closing seconds of the Grand National.”
Synonyms
02operator of machinery
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Informal
n. a person who operates a specific machine or piece of equipment.
n. an operator of a particular vehicle, machine, or apparatus; frequently used in compounds like 'desk jockey' or 'disc jockey'.
“He spent ten years as a computer jockey before deciding to work outdoors.”
“The term 'desk jockey' is often used pejoratively to describe office workers who spend their entire day performing repetitive administrative tasks.”
03to maneuver for position
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to move or change positions skillfully to get an advantage over others.
v. to maneuver or struggle for a particular position or advantage, often involving subtle or competitive movements.
“The photographers were jockeying for the best spot to take a picture of the president.”
“As the election approached, several junior ministers began jockeying for position within the cabinet, hoping to secure a promotion in the reshuffle.”
Usage
Often used with the preposition 'for'.
Real-World Examples
“Republicans and Democrats jockey for control of Congress, which will set course for Trump's final two years in office.” “Taking their advice, Arness became an announcer and disc jockey at a Minneapolis radio station, before deciding to try his luck in Hollywood.” Etymology
The word is by origin a diminutive of jock, the Northern English or Scots colloquial equivalent of the first name John, which is also used generically for "boy" or "fellow" (compare Jack, Dick), at least since 1529. A familiar instance of the use of the word as a name is in "Jockey of Norfolk" in Shakespeare's Richard III. v. 3, 304. Equivalent to jock + -ey. In the 16th and 17th centuries the word was applied to horse-dealers, postilions, itinerant minstrels and vagabonds, and thus frequently bore the meaning of a cunning trickster, a "sharp", whence the verb to jockey, "to outwit" or "to do" a person out of something. The current meaning of a person who rides a horse in races was first seen in 1670.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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