English▸ noun each of the upper and lower bony structures in vertebrates forming the framework of the mouth and containing the teeth.
▪ the lower movable bone of the jaw, or the part of the face containing it:
she suffered a broken jaw.
▪ (jaws) the mouth with its bones and teeth.
▪ (jaws) the grasping, biting, or crushing mouthparts of an invertebrate.
▪ (jaws) used to suggest the notion of being in danger from something such as death or defeat:
victory was snatched from the jaws of defeat.
▪ (usually jaws) the gripping parts of a tool or machine, such as a wrench or vise.
▪ (jaws) an opening likened to a mouth:
a passenger stepping from the jaws of a ferry.
▪ informal talk or gossip, especially when lengthy or tedious:
committee work is just endless jaw
we ought to have a jaw.
▸ verb [no object] informal talk at length; chatter:
he could still hear men jawing away about the vacuum cleaners.
– ORIGIN late Middle English : from Old French joe ‘cheek, jaw’, of unknown origin.