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jive

/ˈd͡ʒaɪv/ noun

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about jive at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

  1. A style of jazz played by big bands popular in the 1930s; flowing rhythms but less complex than later styles of jazz.

verb

  1. Dance to jive music; dance the jive.

Origin

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”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)