Definition of JIVE

jive

Meanings

Plural: jives

Noun

  • a style of jazz played by big bands popular in the 1930s; flowing rhythms but less complex than later styles of jazz
  • 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.
  • Synonym of bullshit: patent nonsense, transparently deceptive talk.
  • African-American Vernacular English.

Verb

  • dance to jive music; dance the jive
  • To deceive; to be deceptive.
  • To dance, originally to jive or swing music; later, to jazz, rock and roll, rhythm and blues, disco, etc.
  • To jibe, in the sense of to accord, to agree

Origin / Etymology

Unknown. Slang attested in African-American and rural American culture. Frequently used to imply lying, verbal deception or trickery. Has a possible historical antecedent in gyve (“shackle”). Alternatively, of African origin, compare Wolof jev, jeu (“to talk about someone absent, especially in a disparaging manner”).

Synonyms

bullshit, swing, swing music

Scrabble Score: 14

jive is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
jive is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
jive is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 17

jive is a valid Words With Friends word