jaw

flap one's gums and flap one's jaws

Rur. to talk aimlessly. They're still out on the porch, flapping their gums. Well, I can't sit here flapping my jaws all day. Gotta get back to work.

See also: flap, gum

have a glass jaw

Fig. to be susceptible to a knockout when struck on the head. (Said only of boxers who are frequently knocked down by a blow to the head.) When the prizefighter was knocked out cold by a right to the chin in the first round, the newspapers said he had a glass jaw. Once a fighter has a glass jaw, he's finished as a boxer.

See also: glass, have

jaw someone down

Sl. to talk someone down; to wear someone down talking. We'll try to jaw him down. If that doesn't work, I don't know what we will do. We will jaw down the objectors.

jaw about someone or something

Fig. to talk aimlessly about someone or something. Do we have to keep jawing about Tom all day? Stop jawing about your problems and set about fixing them.

jaw at someone

Fig. to lecture at someone; to talk endlessly to someone. Please stop jawing at me. You are jawing at me too much lately.

snatch someone out of the jaws of death and snatch someone from the jaws of death

Fig. to save someone from almost certain or imminent death. The soldier snatched the tiny child from the jaws of death.

See also: death, out, snatch

snatch victory from the jaws of defeat

Cliché to win at the last moment. At the last moment, the team snatched victory from the jaws of defeat with a last-second full-court basket.

See also: defeat, snatch, victory

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your jaw drops

to show great surprise My jaw dropped when I heard she'd been admitted to Harvard.

See also: drop