jive

verb

The definition of jive is to talk in a way that is insincere or exaggerated in an attempt to fool people.

To jive is to tell a group of people about a wealthy relative that you really don't have just because you want to impress them.

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"jive." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 13 March 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Jive>.

APA Style

jive. (n.d.). Retrieved March 13th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Jive

jive

transitive verb

intransitive verb

jived, jiv′ing

Slang to speak (to) in a way that is exaggerated, insincere, flippant, etc., esp. in trying to fool or mislead

Origin of jive

altered from jibe: sense development, to taunt ? banter ? improvise ? swing (music)

Slang talk used in jiving someone
jazzor swing (c. 1930-45)

Slang insincere, misleading, fake, fraudulent, etc.

also jive′ass·

intransitive verb

jived, jiv′ing

var. of jibe (sense )

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Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"jive." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 13 March 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Jive>.

APA Style

jive. (n.d.). Retrieved March 13th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Jive

jive

noun

a. Jazz or swing music.
b. The jargon of jazz musicians and enthusiasts.
Slang Deceptive, nonsensical, or glib talk: “the sexist, locker-room jive of men boasting and bonding” ( Trip Gabriel )

verb

jived, jiv·ing, jives

verb

intransitive

To play or dance to jive music.
Slang
a. To talk in an exaggerated, teasing, or misleading way.
b. To talk or chat: “You just jive in one big group, putting each other on, trying to top the last line” ( Time )
Usage Problem To be in accord.

verb

transitive Slang

To speak to (someone) in an exaggerated, teasing, or misleading way.

adjective

Slang

Misleading, phony, or worthless: talking jive nonsense.

Origin of jive

Origin unknown

Related Forms:

jiv′er
noun

jiv′ey jiv′y
adjective

Usage Note: The verb jive is often used in place of its near sound-alike jibe to mean “to be compatible, agree.” The Usage Panel views this as a mistake. In our 2004 survey, 93 percent of the Panel rejected the sentence The two accounts of the incident didn't quite jive.

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Link/Cite

Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"jive." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 13 March 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Jive>.

APA Style

jive. (n.d.). Retrieved March 13th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Jive

Verb

(third-person singular simple present jives, present participle jiving, simple past and past participle jived)

To speak using a jibe or interconnected jibes.
(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")

Noun

(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.

Origin

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

(third-person singular simple present jives, present participle jiving, simple past and past participle jived)

(US) Alternative spelling of jibe.

Usage notes

"Jive" and "jibe" have been used interchangeably in the U.S. to indicate the concept "to agree or accord." While one recent dictionary accepts this usage of "jive," most sources consider it to be in error.

See also jive turkey for related expression.

English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.