jockey

views updated May 17 2018

jock·ey / ˈjäkē/ • n. (pl. -eys) a person who rides in horse races, esp. as a profession. ∎  an enthusiast or participant in a specified activity: a car jockey.• v. (-eys, -eyed) [intr.] struggle by every available means to gain or achieve something: both men will be jockeying for the two top jobs. ∎  [tr.] handle or manipulate (someone or something) in a skillful manner: Jason jockeyed his machine into a dive.DERIVATIVES: joc·key·ship / ship/ n.ORIGIN: late 16th cent.: diminutive of Jock ‘ordinary man; a rustic,’Scots form of the given name Jack. The word came to mean ‘mounted courier,’ hence the current sense (late 17th cent.). Another early use ‘horse dealer’ (long a byword for dishonesty) probably gave rise to the verb sense ‘manipulate,’ whereas the main verb sense probably relates to the behavior of jockeys maneuvering for an advantageous position during a race.

jockey

views updated May 14 2018

jockey pet-form of JOCK; man of the people; lad XVI; †horse-dealer; professional rider in horse-races XVII. f. JOCK + -ey, -Y4.
Hence as vb. play the ‘jockey’ with, outwit, trick XVIII; ride as a jockey XIX.

More From encyclopedia.com