jive

To dance with quick, lively movements to swing music or similar popular music.

• We learned to jive together.
• They jived across the dance floor.
• Can you jive to this song?

How to use it: jive to something (They jived to the band's lively music.)

Similar words: dance

Common phrases: jive to music, jive with someone, learn to jive

To agree with something else or fit well with it.

• Those two stories don't jive.
• Her explanation jives with the facts.
• The numbers didn't jive with our earlier report.

How to use it: jive with something (His account doesn't jive with the evidence.)

Similar words: agree, match, jibe

Opposites: conflict, clash

Common phrases: jive with something, jive together, does not jive

To trick someone or say things that are not true.

• Don't jive me; tell me the truth.
• He was jiving us about his rich uncle.
• Are you jiving, or did that really happen?

Similar words: deceive, fool, kid

Common phrases: jive someone, jive me, jive about something

To talk using the informal words and expressions associated with jazz musicians.

• The musicians jived backstage after the show.
• He loved jiving with the jazz crowd.
• They jived about the band, using words I barely understood.

Common phrases: jive with someone, jive about jazz

A lively dance with quick steps, often performed by two people to swing music.

• They danced the jive together.
• Our next lesson covers basic jive steps.
• The couple won a prize for their jive.

Common phrases: dance the jive, jive steps, jive lesson

Lively jazz music with a strong rhythm that people can dance to.

• The band played jive all evening.
• She collects old jive records.
• Lively jive filled the club and drew everyone onto the dance floor.

Similar words: swing

Common phrases: jive music, play jive, jive band

The informal words and expressions used by jazz musicians and people connected with them.

• He spoke jive with the musicians.
• Some expressions from jive entered everyday English.
• She studied the jive used in old jazz clubs.

Similar words: jazz slang

Common phrases: speak jive, jazz jive, jive talk