jowl

views updated May 21 2018

jowl / joul/ • n. (often jowls) the lower part of a person's or animal's cheek, esp. when it is fleshy or drooping: she had a large nose and heavy jowls. ∎  the cheek of a pig used as meat. ∎  the loose fleshy part of the neck of certain animals, such as the dewlap of cattle or the wattle of birds.DERIVATIVES: jowled adj. [in comb.] ruddy-jowled.jowl·y adj.

jowl

views updated Jun 11 2018

jowl. Part of a post in timber-framed construction at the top or bottom, wider than the rest of the post on one face, to house tie-beams, wall-plates, etc. Tops of crown-posts are often jowled.

jowl

views updated May 29 2018

jowl1 jaw, jawbone; as in phr. cheek by jowl, which repl. cheek by cheek. XVI. Later form of chawle, reduction of ME. chauel, OE. ċeafl, corr. to OS. *kaƀal (in d. pl. kaflun), rel. to MHG. kivel, Du. kevel.

jowl

views updated May 23 2018

jowl2 dewlap, crop, wattle. XVI. Later form of ME. cholle (XIV), OE. ċeole, -u=OS., OHG. kela (G. kehle), throat, gullet.

jowl

views updated May 23 2018

jowl3 head. XIV (jolrap head-rope). Later form of cholle (XIV), of unkn. orig.