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Meaning & use

the jive

noun·Advancedinformal

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UK/ðə ˈdʒaɪv/
US/ðə ˈdʒaɪv/

Meanings

  1. nounsingularinformal

    A fast, lively style of dance with swing music, popular in the 1930s and 1940s.

    Grammar: Takes 'the' and no plural: you dance the jive, not 'a jive'.

    Patterns

    • dance the jive
    • do the jive

    My grandparents learned to dance the jive when they were teenagers.

    The band played a fast number and everyone got up to do the jive.

    She teaches the jive at a dance school on Saturday mornings.

  2. noununcountablemusicinformal

    The style of jazz or swing music that this dance is performed to.

    Grammar: Used like a mass noun: 'the jive was playing', not 'a jive was playing'.

    Patterns

    • play the jive
    • the sound of the jive

    The jive was playing loudly from the open windows of the hall.

    He grew up listening to the jive on his father's old records.

  3. noununcountableslangAmerican

    Talk that is not honest or sincere; teasing or exaggerated speech.

    Grammar: Here 'the jive' means a kind of talk, so it has no plural.

    Patterns

    • that's just the jive
    • give someone the jive

    Don't listen to him — that's just the jive.

    She gave me the jive about being busy, but I saw her at the beach.

Common combinations

dance the jive
They danced the jive at the wedding and everyone clapped.
do the jive
Can you do the jive? It looks hard.
the jive was playing
The jive was playing when we walked into the club.
learn the jive
I'd like to learn the jive before the party.
give someone the jive
Stop giving me the jive and tell me the truth.

Synonyms and how they differ

swing
Swing is the broader music and dance style; the jive is one fast dance within it.
jitterbug
Jitterbug names a similar energetic dance of the same era, but it is used less often today.
nonsense
Nonsense fits the 'not sincere talk' sense, but it is neutral, while the jive is informal and slangy.

Word family

jive verb
To dance the jive, or (slang) to talk in a way that is not sincere.
jiver noun
A person who dances the jive, or (slang) someone who talks insincerely.
jiving noun
The activity of dancing the jive.

Commonly confused: the jive or jibe? the jive or gybe?

the jive vs jibe

A jibe is an unkind remark, and 'jibe with' means to agree with something; it is a different word from jive.

the jive vs gybe

Gybe is a sailing term for turning a boat; it sounds like jive but has nothing to do with dancing.

Practice

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