[jaw drop] or [jaw drop a mile] {informal} Mouth fall wide openwith surprise. — Used with a possessive. •/Tom’s jaw dropped a mile when hewon the prize./

[jaws tight]{adj.}, {slang}, {informal} Angry; uptight; tense.•/Why are you getting your jaws so tight?/

[jazz up]{v.}, {slang} To brighten up; add more noise, movement,or color; make more lively or exciting. •/The party was very dull until Petejazzed it up with his drums./

[Jehu] See: DRIVE LIKE JEHU.

[jerk] or [jerker] See: SODA JERK or SODA JERKER.

[jerry-built]{adj.} 1. Built poorly or carelessly of cheap materials;easily broken. •/That jerry-built cabin will blow apart in a strong wind./2. Done without careful preparation or thought; planned too quickly. •/Whenthe regular television program didn’t come on, a jerry-built program wassubstituted at the last minute./

[Jesus boots] or [Jesus shoes] {n.}, {slang} Men’s sandals,particularly as worn by hippies and very casually dressed people. •/I digyour Jesus boots, man, they look cool./

[jig’s up] See: GAME’S UP.

[jim-dandy]{n.}, {slang} Something wonderful; something very good.•/Tommy’s new boat is really a jim-dandy! I wish I had one like it./

[jink] See: HIGH JINKS.

[job] See: DO A JOB ON, FALL DOWN ON THE JOB, LIE DOWN ON THE JOB, ON THEJOB.

[Joe Doakes]{n.} A name used informally for the average man. •/Letus say that Joe Doakes goes to the movies three times a year./ Compare: MANIN THE STREET, SO-AND-SO.

[John Doe]{n.} A name used for an unknown person, especially in policeand law business. •/The alarm went out for a John Doe who stole the diamondsfrom the store./

[John Hancock] or [John Henry] {n.}, {informal} Your signature;your name in writing. •/The man said, "Put your John Hancock on thispaper."/ •/Joe felt proud when he put his John Henry on his very firstdriver’s license./

[Johnny-come-lately]{n.} Someone new in a place or group; newcomer;also: a new person who takes an active part in group affairs before tlie grouphas accepted him; upstart. •/Everybody was amazed when a Johnny-come-latelybeat the old favorite in the race./ •/When it looked as though Mr. Brownhad a good chance of winning, many Johnny-come-latelies began to supporthim./

[Johnny-on-the-spot]{adj. phr.} At the right place when needed;present and ready to help; very prompt; on time. •/A good waterboy is alwaysJohnny-on-the-spot./ •/The firemen were Johnny-on-the-spot and put out thefire in the house soon after it started./ Compare: ON THE JOB.

[John Q. Public]{n.} A name used informally for the average citizen.•/It is John Q. Public’s duty to vote at each election./ Compare: JOEDOAKES.

[join forces] or [join hands] {v. phr.} To get together for thesame aim; group together for a purpose; unite. •/The students and thegraduates joined forces to raise money when the gym burned down./ •/TheAmerican soldiers joined hands with the British in the war against Germany./Compare: THROW IN ONE’S LOT WITH.

[join hands] See: JOIN FORCES.

[joint] See: CLIP JOINT, PUT ONE’S NOSE OUT OF JOINT.

[joke] See: CRACK A JOKE.

[joking apart] See: JOKING ASIDE.

[joking aside] or [joking apart] {v. phr.}, {informal} Nofooling; without exaggerating: seriously. •/Joking aside, although theconditions were not very comfortable, we had a wonderful time./ •/Jokingapart, there must have been over a hundred people in the room./

[Jones] See: KEEP UP WITH THE JONESES.

[jot down]{v. phr.} To quickly commit to writing; make a quick note ofsomething. •/Let me jot down your address so that I can send you a postcardfrom Europe./

[judgment seat]{n.} A place where you are judged; a place wherejustice and punishment are given out. •/Mrs. Smith is so bossy, she alwaysacts as though she is in the judgment seat./

[jug-eared]{adj.} With ears that stick out like the handles of a jug.•/Tommy was a redheaded, freckle-faced, jug-eared boy./

[juice] See: STEW IN ONE’S OWN JUICE.

[juice dealer]{n.}, {slang} An underworld money lender who chargesexorbitant fees to his clientele and frequently collects payment by physicalforce. •/No matter how broke you are, never go to a juice dealer./

[jump] See: GET THE JUMP ON or HAVE THE JUMP ON, GO JUMP IN THE LAKE, NOTKNOW WHICH WAY TO TURN or NOT KNOW WHICH WAY TO JUMP.

[jump all over] See: JUMP ON.

[jump at]{v.} To take or accept quickly and gladly. •/Johnny jumpedat the invitation to go swimming with his brother./ Compare: TAKE UP(7).

[jump bail] or [skip bail] {v. phr.}, {informal} To run awayand fail to come to trial, and so to give up a certain amount of money alreadygiven to a court of law to hold with the promise that you would come. •/Therobber paid $2000 bail so he wouldn’t be put in jail before his trial, but hejumped bail and escaped to Mexico./ •/The man skipped bail because he wasafraid the court might put him in jail for a long time./

[jump ball]{n.} The starting of play in basketball by tossing the ballinto the air between two opposing players, each of whom jumps and tries to hitthe ball to a member of his own team. •/Two players held onto the ball at thesame time and the referee called a jump ball./

[jump down one’s throat]{v. phr.} To suddenly become very angry atsomeone; scold severely or angrily. •/The teacher jumped down Billy’s throatwhen Billy said he did not do his homework./

[jump from the frying pan into the fire] See: OUT OP THE FRYING PAN INTOTHE FIRE.

[jumping-off place]{n. phr.} 1. A place so far away that it seems tobe the end of the world. •/Columbus' sailors were afraid they would arrive atthe jumping-off place if they sailed farther west./ •/So you visited LittleAmerica? That sounds like the jumping-off place!/ 2. The starting place of along, hard trip or of something difficult or dangerous. •/The jumping-offplace for the explorer’s trip through the jungle was a little village./

[jump on] or [jump all over] or [land on] or [land all over]{v. phr.}, {informal} To scold; criticize; blame. •/Tom’s boss jumpedall over Tom because he made a careless mistake./ •/Janice landed on Robertfor dressing carelessly for their date./ •/"I don’t know why Bill is alwaysjumping on me; I just don’t understand him," said Bob./ Compare: FIND FAULT,GET ON, LAY OUT(7).

[jump on the bandwagon] or [get on the bandwagon] {v. phr.},{informal} To join a popular cause or movement. •/At the last possiblemoment, the senator jumped on the winning candidate’s bandwagon./

[jump out of one’s skin]{v. phr.}, {informal} To be badlyfrightened; be very much surprised. •/The lightning struck so close to Billthat he almost jumped out of his skin./ Compare: HAIR STAND ON END.

[jump pass]{n.} A pass (as in football or basketball) made by a playerwhile jumping. •/The Bruins scored when the quarterback tossed a jump pass tothe left end./

[jump the gun] also [beat the gun] {v. phr.} 1. To start before thestarter’s gun in a race. •/The runners were called back because one of themjumped the gun./ 2. {informal} To start before you should; start beforeanyone else. •/The new students were not supposed to come before noon, butone boy jumped the gun and came to school at eight in the morning./ •/Thestudents planned to say happy birthday to the principal when the teacher raisedher hand, but Sarah jumped the gun and said it when he came into the room./