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n.

1. 1. Either of two bony or cartilaginous structures that in most vertebrates form the framework of the mouth and hold the teeth.
   2. The mandible or maxilla or the part of the face covering these bones.
   3. Any of various structures of invertebrates that have an analogous function to vertebrate jaws.
2. Either of two opposed hinged parts in a mechanical device.
3. jaws The walls of a pass, canyon, or cavern.
4. jaws A dangerous situation or confrontation: the jaws of death.
5. Slang.
   1. Impudent argument or back talk: Don't give me any jaw.
   2. A conversation or chat.

intr.v. Slang., jawed, jaw·ing, jaws.

1. To talk vociferously; jabber.
2. To talk; converse.

[Middle English jawe, jowe, perhaps from Old French joue, cheek.]

jawless jaw'less adj.

The ‘jaw’, in everyday language and in descriptions of facial characteristics, commonly refers to the lower jaw that gives the chin its shape. The word is derived from the Anglo-Saxon for ‘chew’ and is properly applied to both participants in this function: the upper as well as the lower jaw. Jaw movements are fundamental to the processes of both eating and speaking.

In mammals, the upper jaw or maxilla is one of the bones forming the facial part of the skull; the lower jaw or mandible forms a joint with the skull (temporo-mandibular joint) and is suspended by a set of jaw-closing muscles, attached to the temple and to the cheek bone as well as to the maxilla. Forceful jaw closure is a function of these muscles; the masseter that runs from the cheek bone to the angle of the jaw can easily be felt bulging and hardening when the teeth are clenched.

Below the mandible on each side there is a Y-shaped set of muscles. The two upper arms of the ‘Y’ are attached respectively to the mandible in front and to the base of the skull above and behind. The stalk of the Y is attached to the sternum (breastbone) below. The small U-shaped hyoid bone, which lies below the mandible at the base of the tongue, is at the junction of the three arms of the ‘Y’ on each side. In effect both mandible and hyoid are suspended within a chain of muscles. Lowering of the jaw is produced by contraction of the muscles forming the front upper limb of the ‘Y’ only if the other muscles of the ‘Y’ are contracting and thus fixing the hyoid; if the other muscles of the ‘Y’ are relaxed, the hyoid will be moved forwards.

The posture of the jaw at rest depends on the length of the jaw elevator muscles, and the factors determining this are similar to those controlling posture in the body generally. Muscle length depends upon the operation of muscle-length detecting receptors (muscle spindles) that reflexly cause a proportionate muscle contraction if the muscle is stretched. Jaw-closing muscle tone is thus maintained so that, while awake, gravity does not pull the mouth open. The muscles passing from the mandible to the hyoid and to the tongue are of importance in maintaining tongue posture and airway patency, so jaw position is a factor in keeping the airway open. The converse is that restriction of the nasal airway results in a mouth-open posture.

Conscious or voluntary jaw movement is produced by activity in the primary motor cortex that projects directly to the motor neurons of the jaw muscles in the brain stem. The automatic, rhythmic jaw movements of feeding are, however, produced by a central pattern generator (CPG) in the brain stem that can be activated by pathways descending from the motor cortex and/or by sensory input to the brain stem from the mouth. The activity of the CPG then produces a sequential activation of the motor neurons of the jaw opening and closing muscles as well as activation of other muscles involved in feeding.

In normal function, the movements of the jaw vary directly in magnitude with the hardness of the ingested food while the extent of tongue movement varies inversely. Consequently, as hard food is converted into a soft bolus in the mouth, the amplitude of jaw movements reduces while the amplitude of tongue/hyoid movement increases. There is, consequently, evidence for sensory feedback from the mouth influencing the expression of the activity of the CPG.

The teeth are supported in their sockets by the periodontal ligament that transmits the jaw-closing force to the teeth. Sensory nerve endings in this ligament detect the loading and produce neural signals proportionate to the load. These signals cause reflex inhibition of jaw-closing motoneurons and have been considered to represent a device for preventing excessive forces being applied to any individual tooth.

— Allanz Thexton

See also movement, control of; pharynx; skull; teeth; tongue. alimentary system.

verb

To talk volubly, persistently, and usually inconsequentially: babble, blabber, chatter, chitchat, clack, jabber, palaver, prate, prattle, rattle (on), run on. Informal go on, spiel. Slang gab, gas, yak. Idioms: run off at the mouth, shoot thebreezebull. See words.

noun

Spoken exchange: chat, colloquy, confabulation, conversation, converse¹, dialogue, discourse, speech, talk. Informal confab. See words.

v

Definition: criticize
Antonyms: praise

v

Definition: talk a lot
Antonyms: be quiet

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n

A common name for either the maxillae or the mandible; the meaning is usually extended to include their soft tissue covering.

For more information on jaw, visit Britannica.com.

Facial bone in which the teeth are embedded. The jaw consists of the maxilla (upper jaw) and the mandible (lower jaw).

Either of the two opposing bony structures (maxilla and mandible) of the mouth of vertebrates; they bear the teeth and are used for seizing prey, for biting, or for masticating food.

• j. bone — the mandible or maxilla, especially the mandible.
• j. champing — involuntary, rapid, repetitive clenching of the teeth; accompanied by frothing of saliva; frequently accompanies clonic convulsions.
• j. chattering — involuntary, rapid clicking together of the teeth without salivation and usually accompanied by generalized shivering; in animals, may be a sign of painful teeth.
• dropped j. — see mandibular neurapraxia.
• j. locking — a dislocation of the jaw, usually following wide opening, in which the mouth cannot be closed. See also temporomandibular dysplasia.
• j. malapposition — see malocclusion.
• overshot j. — see brachygnathia.
• pig j. — see brachygnathia.
• j. retractor — a dental gag used to keep the jaws of an animal as open as possible.
• rubber j. — see renal secondary hyperparathyroidism.
• undershot j. — see undershot.

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IN BRIEF: A bone that frames the mouth and holds the teeth.

After chewing gums for several hours, his jaw hurt.

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

Dansk (Danish)
n. - kæbe, hage
v. intr. - sludre, snakke

idioms:

• jaw bone    kæbeben, underkæbe
• jaws are wagging    sladderen går
• one's jaw drops    blive lang i ansigtet, tabe underkæben, måbe

Nederlands (Dutch)
kaak, monding, gezellig gesprek, (mv) klemmende delen van gereedschap, standje, (mv) de mond, kletsen, (mv) de klauwen van, geklets, zemelen, ompraten, de les lezen

Français (French)
n. - (Anat) mâchoire, (Tech) mâchoire (étau), sermon, laïus, (fig) bouche bée
v. intr. - papoter, bavarder, faire un sermon, laïusser

idioms:

• jaw bone    maxillaire
• jaws are wagging    cela va faire jaser
• one's jaw drops    ses bras lui en tombent, en rester bouche bée

Deutsch (German)
n. - Kiefer, Klemmbacke, (ugs.) Geschwätz
v. - quatschen

idioms:

• jaw bone    Kieferknochen
• jaws are wagging    klatschen
• one's jaw drops    jmds. Kinnlade fällt herunter

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - σαγόνι, μασέλα, (καθομ.) πάρλα, φλυαρία, ηθικοδιδασκαλία, (μηχαν.) σιαγόνα
v. - φλυαρώ, παρλάρω

idioms:

• jaw bone    γνάθος (κν. μασέλα)
• jaws are wagging    πέφτει πολλή κουβέντα
• one's jaw drops    μένω με το στόμα ανοιχτό

Italiano (Italian)
fare discorsi molto noiosi, mascella

idioms:

• jaw bone    osso mascellare
• one's jaw drops    restare a bocca aperta

Português (Portuguese)
n. - mandíbula (f), resposta (f) malcriada
v. - tagarelar (coloq.), ralhar (coloq.)

idioms:

• jaw bone    osso (m) maxilar
• one's jaw drops    cair o queixo

Русский (Russian)
челюсть, подбородок, болтовня, отчитывать, вести неторопливую беседу

idioms:

• jaw bone    челюстная кость, кредит, нажим, оказывать нажим
• one's jaw drops    челюсть отвисла

Español (Spanish)
n. - mandíbula, quijada, maxilar inferior
v. intr. - hablar por los codos, charlar, dar la lata, chacharear, reñir, regañar

idioms:

• jaw bone    mandíbula, maxilar, quijada
• jaws are wagging    mandíbula batiente
• one's jaw drops    quedar sorprendido, quedar boquiabierto

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - käke, käft, trut
v. - gaffla, snacka, skälla ut

中文（简体） (Chinese (Simplified))
颚, 下巴, 颌, 闲聊, 唠叨, 责骂, 数说

idioms:

• jaw bone    颚骨, 信用, 下颚骨
• jaws are wagging    正在讲话
• one's jaw drops    某人惊讶得张口结舌

中文（繁體） (Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 顎, 下巴, 頜
v. intr. - 閒聊, 嘮叨, 責罵, 數說

idioms:

• jaw bone    顎骨, 信用, 下顎骨
• jaws are wagging    正在講話
• one's jaw drops    某人驚訝得張口結舌

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 턱, 잔소리, 입 부분
v. intr. - 씹다, 꾸짖다, 욕하다, 수다 떨다

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - あご, 口腔, 狭い入口, 挟む部分, むだ口, おしゃべり, 小言
v. - くどくどしゃべる

idioms:

• jaw bone    顎骨, 金銭上の借用, 借用する
• one's jaw drops    驚いて大口をあける

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) فك, لحي (فعل) اسهب في حديث ممل, وعظ‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮לסת, סנטר, פטפוט, דברנות, כניסה צרה לעמק, חוזק של תפיסה, דרשה, חלקי אחיזה במכונה‬
v. intr. - ‮הטיף מוסר, פטפט, שכנע‬

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jaw harp