jawbone
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Meaning · English
Credit.
Register: archaic, slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
We have a few persons whose pockets are to let—men who have more complaints than dollars—individuals who, in digger's parlance, live on jawbone (credit), and are always to be found at saloons; a class of men who, when they are here, wish themselves yonder, and when yonder, wish themselves back.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “jawbone” mean?
Credit.
Is “jawbone” formal or informal?
jawbone is generally archaic, slang.