jive
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Contents |
English [edit]
Pronunciation [edit]
Etymology 1 [edit]
Unknown.
Slang attested in African-American and rural-American culture. Frequently used to imply lying, verbal deception or trickery.
Possible historical antecedent: see gyve
Verb [edit]
jive (third-person singular simple present jives, present participle jiving, simple past and past participle jived)
- To speak using a jibe or interconnected jibes.
- (transitive, intransitive, US, colloquial) To deceive; to be deceptive.
- Don’t try to jive me! I know where you were last night!
- (intransitive, colloquial) To dance.
- You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life; ooh, see that girl, watch that scene, diggin' the dancing queen! (ABBA, "Dancing Queen")
- (intransitive, colloquial) To agree, to accord.
- We don’t quite understand how these two issues jive.
Translations [edit]
be deceptive
dance
agree or accord
Noun [edit]
jive (plural jives)
- A dance style popular in the 1940–50s.
- Swing, a style of jazz music.
- A slang associated with jazz musicians; hepcat patois or hipster jargon.
- (US, colloquial) Nonsense; transparently deceptive talk.
- Don’t give me that jive. I know where you were last night.
Translations [edit]
deceptive talk
See also [edit]
Etymology 2 [edit]
Verb [edit]
jive (third-person singular simple present jives, present participle jiving, simple past and past participle jived)
- (US) Alternative spelling of jibe.
Usage notes [edit]
"Jive" is often used incorrectly in place of "jibe", meaning "to agree or accord". While one recent dictionary accepts this usage, most sources consider this an error.
See also jive turkey for related expression.