[juice dealer] <n.>, <slang> An underworld money lender who charges exorbitant fees to his clientele and frequently collects payment by physical force. * /No matter how broke you are, never go to a juice dealer./
[jump] See: GET THE JUMP ON or HAVE THE JUMP ON, GO JUMP IN THE LAKE, NOT KNOW WHICH WAY TO TURN or NOT KNOW WHICH WAY TO JUMP.
[jump all over] See: JUMP ON.
[jump at] <v.> To take or accept quickly and gladly. * /Johnny jumped at the invitation to go swimming with his brother./ Compare: TAKE UP(7).
[jump bail] or [skip bail] <v. phr.>, <informal> To run away and fail to come to trial, and so to give up a certain amount of money already given to a court of law to hold with the promise that you would come. * /The robber paid $2000 bail so he wouldn't be put in jail before his trial, but he jumped bail and escaped to Mexico./ * /The man skipped bail because he was afraid the court might put him in jail for a long time./
[jump ball] <n.> The starting of play in basketball by tossing the ball into the air between two opposing players, each of whom jumps and tries to hit the ball to a member of his own team. * /Two players held onto the ball at the same time and the referee called a jump ball./
[jump down one's throat] <v. phr.> To suddenly become very angry at someone; scold severely or angrily. * /The teacher jumped down Billy's throat when Billy said he did not do his homework./
[jump from the frying pan into the fire] See: OUT OP THE FRYING PAN INTO THE FIRE.
[jumping-off place] <n. phr.> 1. A place so far away that it seems to be the end of the world. * /Columbus' sailors were afraid they would arrive at the jumping-off place if they sailed farther west./ * /So you visited Little America? That sounds like the jumping-off place!/ 2. The starting place of a long, hard trip or of something difficult or dangerous. * /The jumping-off place for the explorer's trip through the jungle was a little village./
[jump on] or [jump all over] or [land on] or [land all over] <v. phr.>, <informal> To scold; criticize; blame. * /Tom's boss jumped all over Tom because he made a careless mistake./ * /Janice landed on Robert for dressing carelessly for their date./ * /"I don't know why Bill is always jumping on me; I just don't understand him," said Bob./ Compare: FIND FAULT, GET ON, LAY OUT(7).
[jump on the bandwagon] or [get on the bandwagon] <v. phr.>, <informal> To join a popular cause or movement. * /At the last possible moment, the senator jumped on the winning candidate's bandwagon./
[jump out of one's skin] <v. phr.>, <informal> To be badly frightened; be very much surprised. * /The lightning struck so close to Bill that he almost jumped out of his skin./ Compare: HAIR STAND ON END.
[jump pass] <n.> A pass (as in football or basketball) made by a player while jumping. * /The Bruins scored when the quarterback tossed a jump pass to the left end./
[jump the gun] also [beat the gun] <v. phr.> 1. To start before the starter's gun in a race. * /The runners were called back because one of them jumped the gun./ 2. <informal> To start before you should; start before anyone else. * /The new students were not supposed to come before noon, but one boy jumped the gun and came to school at eight in the morning./ * /The students planned to say happy birthday to the principal when the teacher raised her hand, but Sarah jumped the gun and said it when he came into the room./
[jump the traces] See: KICK OVER THE TRACES.
[jump the track] <v. phr.> 1. To go off rails; go or run the wrong way. * /The train jumped the track and there was a terrible accident./ * /The pulley of the clothesline jumped the track and Mother's washing fell down./ 2. <informal> To change from one thought or idea to another without plan or reason; change the thought or idea you are talking about to something different. * /Bob didn't finish his algebra homework because his mind kept jumping the track to think about the new girl in class./ Compare: OFF THE TRACK.
[jump through a hoop] <v. phr.>, <informal> To do whatever you are told to do; obey any order. * /Bob would jump through a hoop for Mary./ Compare: TWIST AROUND ONE'S LITTLE FINGER, UNDER ONE'S THUMB.
[jump to a conclusion] <v. phr.> To decide too quickly or without thinking or finding the facts. * /Jerry saw his dog limping on a bloody leg and jumped to the conclusion that it had been shot./ Contrast: LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP.
[junked up] <adj.> or <v. phr.>, <slang>, <drug culture> To be under the influence of drugs, especially heroine. * /You can't talk to Billy, he's all junked up./
[just about] <adv.>, <informal> Nearly; almost; practically. * /Just about everyone in town came to hear the mayor speak./ * /The dress came down to just about the middle of her knee./ * /Has Mary finished peeling the potatoes? Just about./
[just for the fun of it] <adv. phr.> Merely as a matter of amusement. * /"I'll bring a goat to class," Bob said to his classmates, "just for the fun of it; I want to see what kind of a face Professor Brown will make."/
[just for the hell of it] See: JUST FOR THE FUN OF IT.
[justice] See: DO JUSTICE TO.
[just in case] <adv. phr.> For an emergency; in order to be protected. * /"Here are my house keys. Sue," Tom said. "I'll be back in two weeks, but you should have them, just in case..."/ See: IN CASE.
[just in time] See: IN TIME.
[just now] <adv. phr.> 1. Just at this moment; at this time. * /Mr. Johnson isn't here just now. Will you phone back later? 2./ <informal> A very short time ago; only a moment ago; only a little while ago. * /"Where could that boy have gone so quickly? He was here just now!"/ Compare: WHILE AGO.
[just so(1)] <adj.> Exact; exactly right. * /Mrs. Robinson likes to keep her house just so, and she makes the children take off their shoes when they come in the house./
[just so(2)] <conj.> Provided; if. * /Take as much food as you want, just so you don't waste any food./ Syn.: AS LONG AS(2).
[just so(3)] <adv. phr.> With great care; very carefully. * /In order to raise healthy African violets you must treat them just so./
[just the other way] or [the other way around] <adv. phr.> Just the opposite. * /One would have thought that Goliath would defeat David, but it was the other way around./
[just the same] See: ALL THE SAME.
[just what the doctor ordered] <n. phr.>, <informal> Exactly what is needed or wanted. * /"Ah! Just what the doctor ordered!" exclaimed Joe when Mary brought him a cold soda./
K
[kangaroo court] <n.> A self-appointed group that decides what to do to someone who is supposed to have done wrong. * /The Chicago mob held a kangaroo court and shot the gangster who competed with Al Capone./
[keel] See: ON AN EVEN KEEL.
[keel over] <v.> 1. To turn upside down; tip over; overturn. Usually refers to a boat. * /The strong wind made the sailboat keel over and the passengers fell into the water./ 2. <informal> To fall over in a faint; taint. * /It was so hot during the assembly program that two girls who were standing on the stage keeled over./ * /When the principal told the girl her father died, she keeled right over./
[keen about] or [on] <adj. phr.> Very enthusiastic about someone or something. * /It is well known that Queen Elizabeth is keen on horses./
[keep abreast (of) someone] or [something] <v. phr.> To be informed of the latest developments. * /It is difficult to keep abreast of all the various wars that are being waged on planet Earth./ Compare: KEEP STEP WITH.
[keep a civil tongue in one's head] <v. phr.> To be polite in speaking. * /He was very angry with his boss, but he kept a civil tongue in his head./ * /The bus driver began yelling at the woman and she told him to keep a civil tongue in his head./
[keep a close check on] See: KEEP TAB(S) ON.
[keep after] <v.>, <informal> To speak to (someone) about something again and again; remind over and over again. * /Some pupils will do sloppy work unless the teacher keeps after them to write neatly./ * /Sue's mother had to keep after her to clean her bedroom./
[keep an ear to the ground] See: EAR TO THE GROUND.
[keep an eye on] or [keep one's eye on] or [have one's eye on] <v. phr.> 1. To watch carefully; not stop paying attention to. * /Keep an eye on the stove in case the coffee boils./ * /You must keep your eye on the ball when you play tennis./ * /A good driver keeps his eye on the road./ * /The teacher had her eye on me because she thought I was cheating./ * /Billy keeps a jealous eye on his toys./ * /The lion tamer keeps a sharp eye on the lions when he is in the cage./ Compare: LOOK OUT, LOOK OVER. 2. To watch and do what is needed for; mind. * /Mother told Jane to keep an eye on the baby while she was in the store./ * /Mr. Brown told John to keep an eye on the store while he was out./ Syn.: TAKE CARE OF(1).
[keep an eye open] or [keep an eye out for] See: KEEP AN EYE ON.
[keep an eye out] See: EYE OUT.
[keep a stiff upper lip] <v. phr.> To be brave; face trouble bravely. * /He was very much worried about his sick daughter, but he kept a stiff upper lip./ * /Although he was having some trouble with the engine, the pilot kept a stiff upper lip and landed the plane safely./ Compare: KEEP ONE'S CHIN UP.
[keep a straight face] See: STRAIGHT FACE, DEADPAN.
[keep at] <v.> To continue to do; go on with. * /Mary kept at her homework until she finished it./ Compare: KEEP ON(1), KEEP UP(1b).
[keep away] <v. phr.> To remain at a distance from. * /Her mother advised Diane to keep away from men offering a ride./